-
Healthy Fettuccine Alfredo?!
Doesn’t that just sound too good to be true? Well it’s NOT! Below is a healthier version of a favorite meal…no cream, no butter but ALL the flavor! The secret weapon?? Cauliflower!
To make this dish, you start off by cooking your pasta. We opt for a whole-grain fettuccine for added fiber. Once the noodles are cooked, you’ll want to reserve some of the pasta water for the sauce. If you don’t normally add pasta water, it’s a great trick to use when making pasta sauce. As the noodles cook, they’ll release starch into the water. By keeping and using some of the leftover water for the sauce, you can thicken it without the need for added oil or flour.
Next, you’ll prepare the fettuccine sauce. Start by cooking the cauliflower in vegetable broth (for extra flavor). While it cooks, lightly sauté garlic and olive oil together. Once the cauliflower is cooked, add it to the blender alongside the garlic, nutmeg and reserved cooking water. A quick trip to the blender will turn the cauliflower into a silky white sauce. Add the sauce back to the pan, stir in some unsweetened almond milk, and just like that you have a healthier fettuccine sauce that’s full of flavor. You’d never guess there’s cauliflower inside, but it always feels good sneaking in extra vegetables. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.
Healthier Fettuccine Alfredo
Total Time: 40 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 25 min.
Yield: 4 servingsIngredients:
8 oz. dry whole grain fettuccine
3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth
1 medium cauliflower, chopped (about 1½ pounds)
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Sea salt (or Himalayan salt) and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley (for garnish; optional)Preparation:
1. Cook fettuccine according to directions on package. Before draining, reserve 2 cups of cooking water; set aside.
2. Bring broth to a boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower. Reduce heat; cook, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until soft.
3. While cauliflower cooks, heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
4. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute, or until garlic is soft. Remove from heat and strain.
5. Place cauliflower in blender (or food processor) with 2 cups of reserved cooking water, garlic, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Blend in two or more batches if necessary; cover with lid and kitchen towel. Blend until very smooth. Add additional cooking water if needed.
6. Heat cauliflower mixture in same medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
7. Add almond milk; cook, stirring frequently, 5 to 7 minutes. Consistency should be that of a thick soup.
8. Add fettuccine; mix well.
9. Divide fettuccine evenly between four bowls. Top evenly with cheese and parsley (if desired); serve immediately.
-
Cloud Bread
Oh my goodness! If you haven’t heard of cloud bread yet, let me be the first to share the good news. This low-carb, wonder bread (see what we did there?) is amazing! Cloud bread gives you the satisfaction of eating bread, minus the carbs. Made up almost entirely of protein, it is light and fluffy, but sturdy enough to bookend a sandwich or act as toast. And, this recipe has only 47 calories per slice.
Most cloud bread recipes call for eggs, cream of tartar (a natural thickener), and cream cheese, which despite being delicious, is not very good for you. We decided to try making it with several healthier dairy options, including Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese, and whipped cottage cheese. In our testing, all of these ingredients yielded great results, but we found that the breads made with Greek yogurt had the best texture. The sandwich-sized rounds came out of the oven with a crisp exterior and fluffy – you guessed it – cloud-like interior. When stored overnight, they become soft and chewy.
Cloud bread tastes faintly of egg. We found that adding a pinch of salt made it taste more like bread. You can adjust the flavor to your liking with a sprinkling of crushed herbs like oregano or basil, a dusting of paprika or cumin, or sweeten the batter with a dash of honey.
Ingredients- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3 large eggs
- 1 dash cream of tartar
- 1 dash sea salt (or Himalayan salt) (to taste, optional)
- ⅓ cup reduced-fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt
1/2 RED
Instructions- Heat oven to 300° F.
- Lightly coat large baking sheet with spray. Set aside.
- Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Place whites in a medium bowl. Place yolks in a separate medium bowl. Set aside.
- Add cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with a mixer on high until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
- Add salt and yogurt to egg yolks. Beat with a mixer on medium until blended.
- Gently fold ⅓ of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture. Fold in the remaining egg white mixture until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
- Using a spoon, transfer a scoop of egg mixture onto prepared baking sheet, gently spreading into a thick pancake shape about 3 inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and exterior is crispy to the touch. Immediately loosen cloud breads with a spatula; allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container.
Recipe Adapted from Beachbody.com