The other night I was really craving some pasta and I had some mushrooms I needed to use up so I decided to throw together some lightened up cream sauce; now usually I would go digging through recipes trying to find one I wanted to make when I thought to myself “you’ve made enough sauces in your life.. you know how to do this thing”, so I did. I must say it turned out pretty tasty; it satisfied my carb craving, came together quick, and I didn’t have the guilt trip that is associated with alfredo anything. I made this dish twice, once with half and half and once with skim milk; both were tasty but the half and half version was defiantly thicker and richer and didn’t add too many more calories. Enjoy!
Creamy Parmesan Mushroom Pasta (Print Me)
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp light butter
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup fat free half and half (could use skim or regular milk)
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (more to sprinkle over top)
Dash nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil to garnish (optional)
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water
8 oz cooked whole wheat penne
Directions:
Cook the penne according to package directions, drain. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat warm the olive oil then add the garlic to brown (about 2 minutes). Add the mushrooms and butter and let the mushrooms cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in the chicken broth, half and half (or milk), and thyme and let it warm through. Slowly add parmesan cheese and let simmer until the cheese is melted. Add cornstarch/water mixture to the sauce and lower the heat to allow it to thicken. Once thickened toss the pasta with the sauce, then add salt and pepper to taste and lightly sprinkle a dash of nutmeg on top. Serve with parmesan and fresh basil garnish.
Nutrition* 1/3 of recipe (made with half and half): Calories 493, Fat 16.3g, Carbohydrates 67g, Fiber 8g, Sugar 6g, Protein 13g
Using skim milk would reduce total by approximately 25 calories per serving
Source: Brooke’s original recipe
*All nutrition information is approximate
