Pasta Alfredo with Peas

Normally, 1 cup of fettuccine alfredo will run you a hearty 16 points. Olive Garden's entree has 1220 calories and 75 grams of fat. SEVENTY FIVE GRAMS OF FAT. However, as I have now made it my personal mission to renovate every recipe to be healthier, all whilst using only the ingredients I have in my house. Which means next up is probably hummus-raspberry preserves-frozen polenta goulash with a size of disgusting soy ice cream and roasted red peppers. I need to go food shopping.

Without further ado:

Pasta Alfredo with Frozen Peas
(adapted from the Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon recipe I found in my Cooking Light magazine. Nix the meat, add some veg.)


Sorry about the lame-ness and grainy-ness of the picture. Some day I'll stop using my Blackberry for pictures and start using the beautiful SLR I "borrowed" from Alex. I also inhaled most of it before I could remember to take a pic.

• 9 oz whole wheat pasta (I used Barilla Plus Spaghetti since we had no fettuccine)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp Bertolli Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 3/4 cup Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 2 Tbsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Makes 4 1-cup servings at 8 points each.

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in colander, and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water for later.
2. While pasta cooks, sauté minced garlic in olive oil for 1 minute, constantly stirring.
3. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds. Again, keep stirring.
4. Gradually add milk, stir constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick. Keep on stirring. Reduce heat to low.
5. Gradually add cheese and - yes - keep stirring until it's melted.
6. Stir in salt and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water.
7. Add hot pasta and frozen peas to pan; toss well to combine. (The heat thaws the peas out just fine, in my experience)
8. Garnish with parsley and pepper to taste.

I had a pretty unfortunate case of food sickness back in high school from fettuccine alfredo. It was one of my first dates with my high school boyfriend, and he took me to an authentic Italian restaurant where I'm pretty sure they mixed a raw egg into the pasta. A few hours later, a major blizzard, being snowed in at my best friends house (which otherwise would've been a lot of fun), I have strong memories of laying outside the bathroom with my face pressed against the wood floors "because it felt nice and cold."

On that note, I assure you this dish had the exact opposite effect. It was so good. And to quote Alex, "I just want to keep eating it. I just want the taste to stay in my mouth."

(That's what he said. Ew. Sorry.)