What better way to enjoy an easy pasta dish and not feel guilty about the calories, by making alterations to a classic sauce as Alfredo that is rich in cheeses and cream. Yes I suffer like most of in enjoying food but always worry about the amount of bad calories, to this day I still don’t really comprehend the good the bad and the ugly in calories. To me they’re all bad, it’s a proven fact that we can consume everything but with moderation. Ever since I had my children I have been a yo-yo dieter but in the last year I finally have come to learn to listen to my body and enjoy every dish and change recipes around to make them low-fat and definitely healthier and yes for me organic does make a difference and I am sure you might have seen a similar recipe, but this one won’t make you feel guilty! enjoy
Low Fat Penne with shrimp
A delicious low-fat version of Shrimp with Alfredo sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 Cup cherry petite diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- FOR THE ALFREDO SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 (6-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk
- 1 ounce light cream cheese
- 1/4 cup chicken broth, or more, to taste
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Step 1 To make the Alfredo sauce, melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Step 2 Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and chicken broth until smooth, about 1 minute season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add more chicken broth as needed until desired consistency is reached.
- Step 3 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray Place shrimp onto the prepared baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Step 4 In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions drain.
- Step 5 reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Step 6 In a large bowl, combine shrimp, pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes and Alfredo sauce. Add pasta mixture to prepared baking dish and top with Parmesan.
- Step 7 Place into oven and bake until golden brown and cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
- Step 8 Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
