Pastaaa.
There’s a side to me that will always have a soft spot for Italian food. Partly because I’ve traveled through Italy twice and partly because growing up my dad always made his “famous” spaghetti sauce and lasagna nearly every week. I never complained though, because that stuff was good. And the italian food I experienced in Italy was divine. It was probably some of the best food (and freshest) I have ever eaten in my life to be exact.
As I grew older my food palate blossomed from spaghetti to all the other diverse food groups. Most of you know I eat mediterranean food religiously, can’t go two days without fish tacos and have my fair share of sushi. Oh how we grow up…
I still can appreciate a good bowl of pasta though. Every now and then I get an itch for it. Now that i’m older and a little wiser it’s fun to put a healthy twist on any typical Italian dish. The flavors and spices that go into Italian cooking are delicious and great hearty meals to serve the family or a group of friends. It also helps that wine pairs oh so lovely with Italian food. We all can appreciate that.
While at Whole Foods the other day I intuitively picked out 100% whole wheat fettuccine noodles. This sparked a craving for Alfredo sauce. And here we are. I lightened up this dish by using Chobani Greek yogurt (what else is new), light cream cheese and parmesan as the base. I love to use greek yogurt in place of heavy cream because it still offers a creamy texture to the sauce while adding those great health benefits. For the cream cheese I used Green Mountain Farms Greek Cream Cheese. I’ve mentioned this brand before, it uses a mix of greek yogurt and real cream cheese, adding protein and reducing the fat content.
I paired the Alfredo sauce with chopped steamed broccoli and shredded chicken breast. Overall it made a great one pot meal, which I am always a fan of due to how convenient and easy it is for weeknight dinners. I also added a dab of hot sauce to my bowl because I’m all about that spicy life.
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Lightened Up Fettuccine Alfredo
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 8 oz whole wheat fettuccine pasta
- 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup Chobani plain Greek yogurt
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- sea salt + black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Optional Toppings
- Cooked shredded chicken breast
- Chopped steamed broccoli
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to instructions. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add in garlic. Stir until garlic is golden brown. Whisk in broth, milk and greek yogurt, one ingredient at a time. Whisk in cream cheese, salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and let mixture simmer until thickened for about 2-5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in parmesan cheese.
- Pour over pasta and mix in chicken and any other vegetables of choice.