Zucchini Pasta with Scallops and Bacon

Hope everyone is enjoying the super bowl. From the screams I hear coming from downstairs, it sounds like a good game.  I hated the thought of eating wings and junk to end the weekend, so I decided to try something new.  I bought a new spiralizer, which is AMAZING.  I think it's going to quickly become one of my favorite kitchen tools.

I used to love pasta, but it's been many years since I've had more than a taste of the kids macaroni.  People have told me about making zucchini pasta, and I've been thinking a lot about it, and today I finally gave it a shot.  I am so glad I did.  This was one of the most satisfying meals I have had in forever.

I found the recipe on meatified.com and made it exactly as documented, except I used large scallops instead.  So none of this credit goes to me, it's all to them.  But it was just too good not to share.

Ingredients

• 1 scallops, cleaned, rinsed and dried
• 6 slices bacon
• 8 zucchini
  
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 6 green onions, sliced with green tops reserved for garnish
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Use a spiralizer or julienne peeler to make the zucchini pasta and set aside. You can do this way in advance.
2. In a large flat bottomed pan, cook the bacon until crisp.  
3. When the bacon is cooked, remove from the pan and set it aside.
4. Pour off most of the excess bacon fat and save for later, leaving behind just enough to coat the pan lightly.
5. Bring to high heat.
6. The scallops should sizzle as soon as you put them in the pan.  Sear the scallops until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss or flip the scallops and sear the other side for 1 - 2 minutes, until golden.  Set aside.
7. Put a little bit of the bacon fat in the pan, bring to medium high heat and add the zucchini noodles and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Saute the zucchini noodles until just softened, about 3 - 5 minutes. While the noodles are cooking, chop the cooked reserved bacon into pieces.
9. Add the scallops back to the pan for 30 seconds to heat them quickly, toss in bacon, the white parts of the chopped green onions and a squeeze of lemon juice.
10. Divide the noodles between plates and enjoy.