Thursday, March 25, 2010

Now THIS Is What I Call Carb-Loading!

Fettuccine Alfredo - low fat and so tasty!

Since I am a runner now, you just know I had to subscribe to Runner's World magazine - and color me surprised to find a super-delicious low-calorie recipe in the April issue for Fettuccini Alfredo! The magazine usually has carb-loading recipes that the dieter in me ignores, but when I read the list of ingredients, I thought "Hey! I can actually eat this and not feel guilty!" - which is not something you normally think when you read the word "alfredo!"

Any case, I made it Wednesday night and loved it. The only thing I did different, other than to serve it with a vegetable instead of a piece of bread like RW pictured (they love their carbs), was to use 2% Greek yogurt instead of 5%, because I couldn't find anything higher than 2% in my local grocery store. If you like Greek yogurt, you will like this recipe. I put that disclaimer in because my husband, who will pretty much eat anything, wasn't too thrilled with this - in fact, he suggested adding tomatoes, which would make it NOT fettuccine alfredo. ::rolleyes::

I stole am reprinting the recipe from RW's website - hope that is ok to do. Click on the link to see their picture of the dish - the coloring looks a little funny in mine because the sun had gone down and my kitchen lights are odd. Oh, and if you haven't tried grilling asparagus - what are you waiting for?!? It's so good! Pam it up (be generous *wink*), add some salt and pepper and grill the heck out of it - you will love it!


From the April 2010 issue of Runner's World

Rocco's Fettuccine Alfredo
DiSpirito's latest cookbook, Now Eat This!, transforms heart-stopping dishes like this pasta, traditionally laden with heavy cream, butter, and cheese. Here, he re-creates the sauce's velvety texture with Greek yogurt and chicken broth.

8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of ground nutmeg
3/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup 5 percent Greek yogurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine; cook according to package directions.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook two minutes.

Combine cornstarch and nutmeg in a small bowl; whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Pour into saute pan, raise the heat, and bring sauce to a simmer, whisking occasionally.

Whisk in 1/2 cup of the cheese until melted. Remove pan from heat.
Whisk in yogurt until smooth.

Toss fettuccine with Alfredo sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with remaining cheese. Serves four.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 336
CARBS: 47 G
PROTEIN: 18 G
FAT: 10 G

21 comments:

  1. Every time I stop by your blog I marvel at those wonderful before & after pictures. You look like a brand new woman - oh, so happy with yourself! That's what we are all striving for...

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  2. Fettuccine Alfredo used to be a punch line ... you remember ... heart attack on a plate. That was true when it was made with cream, butter and egg yolks. Your recipe looks delicious to me. Your husband doesn't know how good he has it.

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  3. I wish I could get my teen to eat this. He has his first track meet of the season tomorrow (running) and is carb loading tonight. White pasta and meat sauce. So I myself with have the sauce only with a side of veggies.

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  4. The whole problem with carb loading is that it's really not necessary unless you're going to be running more than an hour. On the other hand, I love me some carbs so I like to have them even when I'm not loading them. I would serve with with a veggie too!

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  5. That was my first issue of Runner's world and I can't wait to try that recipe. Wheat free noodles of course, but it looks very yummy.

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  6. I think I'll try this. I love fettucine alfredo! I don't know why but I've never tried the Greek yogurt. I am stuck in a breakfast rut and I eat fat free vanilla yogurt and Kashi cereal EVERY.MORNING. I need to try the Greek yogurt and mix it up a bit!

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  7. Yum! I used to eat the crab alfredo at Olive Garden and loved every creamy, heart clogging bite.....

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  8. That does look really yummy!! I know you have received this award by others, but I did give you one too on my blog. :) Love reading yours everyday!!

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  9. Am I wrong to think that the veggie looks tastier then the pasta?

    I'm weird, we've established that!

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  10. Yummy! Love alfredo sauce. OK. I'm making this.

    I meant to ask you about how to grill asparagus. You must have read my mind. :) Sadly, our grill is in ICU and may not pull through. She's not doing well at all. Time to replace her. *sniff sniff*

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  11. I was curious about that recipe. I just tried one of the other ones from that issue (the pasta and bean toss) and wasn't too impressed. It needed something to jazz up the flavor. :)

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  12. OMG, I never thought of using Greek yogurt in alfredo sauce - that looks delicious!!

    Loved grilled zucchini - I can't wait for our farmers market to open up, but it doesn't open until June!

    Do you have farmers markets year round in Texas??

    I had a shitty run on the treadmill today - my hips were just not into it - I almost gave up, but I thought of you and then finished the last 20 minutes at 4.0 mph walk on 5% incline - thanks for the push even though you weren't there! :D

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  13. That looks de-lish. I am still not running though my blog was featured on someone's triathlon training site because of the spring training post. haha

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  14. Grilled or roasted veggies are definitely the way to go. I pretty much only steam veggies like broccoli anymore.

    Good looking plate o' food there!

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  15. O.M.G., Shelley, that alfredo looks so good I just want to slap you!

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  16. That looks like a great recipe. I had pasta prima vera (sp?) once that was so good, and it included asparagus among the vegetables. I think I might try to make that using this recipe.

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  17. Sounds delicious. I'm always on the lookout for new low cal recipes.

    Thanks.

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  18. Penny actually had Greek Yogurt tonight! I took it to use to top some Rotisserie chicken tacos that we made at her house tonight.

    Maybe we will make this recipe next week at family dinner!!

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  19. It looks very delicious Shelley!

    I subscribed to Runner's World too soon after I started running :) It's published in Dutch too but it's got different contents because it's focussed on Dutch running. But I love it.

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  20. **giggling**
    you are 100% OFFICIALLY A RUNNER if you get recipes from RW.

    I am running this weekend.
    first time since race (excluding the Fitbloggin race Id committed to and would never back out :)).

    Whats on tap for you this weekend runwise?
    rest?

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  21. I can't even remember the last time I had any kind of pasta, forget about alfredo sauce...this looks really appealing. Thank you!

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