(Light) Spinach Alfredo

I know you heard the word "Alfredo" and thought "yeah, right!" But besides the store bought light Alfredo and a small dab of butter it's good to go! And it was delicious too! --Gregg approved--

2 cups penne pasta

10 oz light Alfredo sauce (Bertolli brand was the one I used)

10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and well drained

1 cup low fat cottage cheese

1/4 cup plain almond milk (or skim)

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1 egg

1/2 cup part skim Mozzerella cheese 

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray casserole dish with olive oil spray or cooking spray. (I used 9x13)

Cook pasta, drain, rinse in cold water, drain again well. 

Whisk Alfredo sauce with spinach, cottage cheese, milk, butter, garlic, and basil.

Add the pasta. 

Whisk in the egg. 

Pour into the dish and top with cheese. 

Bake for 25 minutes and then let sit for 10 minutes. 

Hope you love it as much as we did!

Mayo-less Egg Salad

I'm super excited that this only uses 6 ingredients and tasted awesome as well! I made this one recipe and ate lunch for 3 days with four eggs! That means it's cheap too. 

4 hard boiled eggs 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sweet relish

Salt and pepper

1-2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

Peel the hard boiled eggs and seperate the whites from the yolk. Save 3 whites and cut and mix the yolks with the 1 white. Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. 

Slice up the remaining whites to add to your sandwich if desired. I used whole grain sandwich thins. 

Yum! The less healthy version was definitely a childhood favorite!

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Yes this has BACON in it... No I did not even waste my time with turkey bacon--I got the real deal! This was also my first time trying out spaghetti squash. I loved it and also learned there are a zillion different ways to cook it.

Salt and pepper to taste

1 medium size spaghetti squash

4 slices of bacon chopped into small strips width wise (I got REAL thick cut bacon!) It's just a little bit!

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

1/4 cup organic chicken broth

2 egg yolks, 1 whole egg

1 cup grated parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. (This is hard and many people had different suggestions on doing this...google it). Spoon out seeds and pulp. Place facedown on baking dish with sides. Pour very small amount of water on the bottom of the pan to allow the squash to steam. Cook for 45 minutes or until shell is easily poked with a fork. Let cool for about ten minutes. With a fork, shred the squash and set in a large bowl. (Your way of preparing the squash may differ...bottom line, get the spaghetti part tender and out of the shell.)

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is nice and crispy. Add the garlic and let that cook for about one minute. Add the broth and let that cook until all of the liquid evaporates. (I never thought that was possible but it took about 10 minutes.) Stir occasionally. 

In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with the cheese and add salt and pepper. Combine egg and cheese mixture with bacon mixture in the saute pan, warming the eggs but not allowing them to cook. Add the spaghetti squash. (Here is where I would add about a cup at a time so that you don't end up with too much squash and not enough egg mixture.) Mix well until squash is heated through. 

Serve immediately. I also served mine with a piece of garlic toast. Mmmmm. (It seemed to get a little soggy the longer I waited to eat it.)