Recipe: Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo

It kind of makes me smile that the kids and I were watching the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show while eating Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo. I mean, the irony. I like the fashion show, no shame in admitting it. Fun music, live acts, and, well, sequins galore. It’s my jam.

The kids have never seen it before, and asked a million and one questions.

“Why are they all wearing their underwear?”

“Do they really sell those wings in the store?”

“And those costumes?”

“Gosh, there are a lot of sequins.”

“Wow, Bruno Mars is tiny. Is he a grown-up or just really, really small?”

And, of course, my favorite was the entranced look that came over Madeline’s face when Justin Beiber came on to perform.

She was completely and utterly silent.

And if you know Madeline, you know what a feat that is.

Mesmerized.

Pure adorableness.

*And we, of course, rewound the recording to watch his part twice.

In the grand scheme of things, as good as alfredo sauce is, it’s so laden with butter and cream that it’s an infrequent indulgence. And the kids honestly aren’t big fans of it either, which is just as well.

I recently spied a lighter “skinny” version of alfredo sauce and gave it a try on a busy weeknight. It’s super simple, and because it uses pantry ingredients, I bet you have everything on hand to make this tonight. It needs so little babysitting that I actually made a gazpacho salad for lunch for the next day (recipe coming next week) while I was waiting for the sauce come to a boil.

Which is totally my kind of multi-tasking.

It definitely has the creaminess of the more traditional alfredo sauce, with a little bit more heartiness by way of the chicken broth. By forgoing butter and cream, and instead, making a roux with flour and extra virgin olive oil, you are skipping all the reasons why alfredo sauce is so bad for you. And the end bite? Close enough to satisfy without the pang of guilt at the end. Deliciousness.

The recipe comes from Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex, who are the founders of mealmakeovermoms.com and authors of No Whine with Dinner. Although it’s not a Weight Watchers recipe, if you happen to be following that, it’s 11 points per serving (with my changes below); it’s 10 points if you follow the recipe exactly.

Tomorrow? Weekend wrap-up in photos.
Monday? Pesto and Garlic Crescent Rolls!
Tuesday? Christmas Lists and Santa visits!
Wednesday? A review on a new grilled cheese restaurant!
Thursday? A new recipe for Gazpacho Salad!
Friday? A review on a new art exhibit!

Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo
Recipe courtesy of Meal Makeover Moms

Makes 4 servings

• 8 ounces dried fettuccine
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage, plus small whole leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup all-natural chicken broth (I used chicken stock)
• 1/2 cup 2% milk (I used whole milk)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sage and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Whisk in the flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the broth, milk, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring gently, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.

4. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss. Stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan. Top with the sage leaves and more Parmesan as desired.