I was inspired by a recipe I saw on Pinterest for a lower calorie/fat Alfredo sauce but then of course I changed it all around 😉 Wouldn’t be me if I didn’t! I left out the bacon, used a little less cheese, cooked a roux – not the same I know but it turned out delicious – I followed my concept of how a flour based recipe should be prepared and not their directions.
It was well received, much that the toddler ate two plateful, which was shocking. I used farfalle (bowtie) pasta, any shape will work as will fettuccine noodles. Bowties work well for toddlers though, they can grab them with their fingers.
Sorry about the ugly photo, we didn’t get to eat till well after 7 pm last night. My sink’s faucet fell apart yesterday and Kirk spent his afternoon/evening shopping and putting in a new one. I was pretty bummed, I had planned a day of cooking and baking and it was stopped by that. It was OK though, my new faucet is very nice. But the last faucet only lasted two years! What the heck! I guess it was my fault for whining for a cool looking one I saw at Costco back then. Piece of JUNK! This time we just bought a quality one – sorry, but a kitchen faucet should last longer than TWO years. Part of me feels like taking the piece of junk back to Costco and crabbing till I get a refund! Anyhow, enough of my whining….hah! Well and it snowed all afternoon so Kirk kept taking Walker out to run around 😉
Spinach Alfredo
Ingredients:
- 1 lb farfalle (bowtie) pasta or any shape
- 3 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped (about half a bag)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic, minced (2 cloves)
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups lower sodium vegetable broth
- 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese
- ¾ cup low-fat milk
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for time on package. Add the chopped spinach to a large colander, pour the pasta and water over it.
Meanwhile in a large non-stick skillet, heat over medium heat and add the oil and garlic, cook for a minute till fragrant. Whisk in the flour and let cook for a couple of minutes (it will be crumbly). Whisk in the broth, working any lumps out, then add the cream cheese, whisking till smooth. Turn down to medium-low, add in the milk and pepper, whisking again till smooth. Add in the cheese.
Toss with the hot pasta and wilted spinach. Serve with more cheese if desired.
Serves 4 adults.
~Sarah