Alfredo Light

Tis the season to put the sugar cookies away, hop back on our treadmills, and make changes for the better.  Here's a recipe I recently tried that might help you do just that.  I actually was searching for a full-fat version (a girl doesn't have to be good ALL of the time!), but this recipe was at the top of the list so I decided to give it a try. 
I used penne regate for the pasta instead of the usual fettuccine and it was delish.  Rachel could not get enough of it  and ate it happily for three meals!  (I think we have a carb lover on our hands--another good German girl!) 
I served the veggies on the side, but as the recipe says, you can boil them with the noodles to save on time and dirty dishes.

Alfredo Light

1/2 - 1 whole onion (I used 1/2)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 cups skim or 1% milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 T flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or more if you prefer)
16 oz. dry pasta of your choice

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute until golden brown.  Add a little bit of chicken broth to this and then add the flour, salt and pepper.  Whisk this together and allow this mixture to cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat while stirring.  Then add the rest of the chicken broth and the milk slowly while stirring frequently.  (Add a little more each time it starts to thicken until all is used up.)  After the sauce has thickened, stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water. If desired, add broccoli to the pasta for the last several minutes of cooking. Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente.
Drain the pasta and vegetables, and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with sauce. Serve.

For more tips, techniques and a photo of this recipe, click here. *I adapted my method after reading the recipe reviews.  The method on the submitted recipe is a little different and may work better for you!