Tender fettuccine pasta noodles tossed in a quick and creamy spinach sauce for Skinny Spinach Fettuccine – big on flavor, light on calories!
Happy New Year!! I cannot. Just can’t even. Is it really 2015?? I was laughing yesterday remembering back in the year 1999 when my older brothers were talking about how crazy the new millennium would be. I don’t know that anything completely mind-blowing happened in the year 2000 but looking back at our lifestyle now and how it was 15 years ago… woah. Remember how everyone had pagers before cell phones grew on trees?
My sister had one. It was green. Those were the days.
I also remember mowing the lawn as a 10 year old with a portable CD player tucked into the elastic waste of my soccer shorts so I could listen to my hip tunes while getting chores done. My first mp3 player was life changing. I could hold it in my hand or slip it into my pocket while I was trimming the lawn. And, let’s be honest, while I was doing anything and everything else. The whole living life with earbuds in trend got really big really fast and I was a big fan.
And instant messaging on the computer was the way to chit chat with your crush after school. Which meant you were constantly darting into home office or computer room to see if he had messaged back. Now we just carry phones around everywhere and anyone can get ahold of us at any time of day or night. Speaking of which….
NEW YEARS RESOLUTION #1 – DISCONNECT. I am trying to get my brain out of the digital world and into the real world this year. I’ve gotten totally and completely wrapped up in the virtual world cycle of checking instagram, email, texts, shopping online, perusing pinterest, blogging, my other email address, more pinterest perusing, more email, more blogging…..
So I’m disconnecting. Or.. trying. Trying really really hard. I deleted several apps from my phone and I’m trying to leave it in my purse when I go out places with family. Trying to be present. I want to remember 2015 – what really happened (in the real world, right in front of me) and who I spent time with.
Annnnd if you’re one of the 3.5 gajillion people who are making new year’s resolutions to eat healthy – join me for some ultra creamy yet guilt-free skinny spinach fettuccine pasta. What makes it skinny? Light cream cheese, fat free half & half, a healthy yet satisfying helping of Italian cheese, and a whole lot of good-for-you spinach. We splurged with a bit of crumbled bacon on top – best decision ever. And the husband had some grilled chicken on his.
Good things are happening in 2015. Good skinny spinach fettuccine things.
Skinny Spinach Fettuccine
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine noodles - cooked according to package’s instructions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic - (I like a little stronger garlic flavor so I use 2 teaspoons)
- ½ cup water
- 2 ounces light cream cheese
- ¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup pecorino romano cheese - grated, (or any other Italian style cheese – I used a three cheese blend)
- ½ cup packed baby spinach leaves - finely chopped
- 1 cup fat free half & half - (you can use regular non-fat free half & half or heavy cream but it won’t be as “skinny”)
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- optional: crumbled bacon, additional cheese
Instructions
- In a large pan or skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 1/2 cup water and the cream cheese. Cover and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, then whisk until cream cheese is completely melted.
- In a small bowl whisk together veggie or chicken broth and flour. Add broth and cheese to the skillet and stir until thickened. Add half & half, spinach, and salt and pepper. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed to taste.
- Toss noodles with the sauce and serve. Top with additional cheese and crumbled cooked bacon if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light: Comfort Food cookbook.
This looks really good! Can’t wait to try it!
I can’t even tell you how good this looks right now!
This looks amazing!
Would milk work rather than the fat free half & half? Or would it not be thick enough?
Thanks!
You can definitely use regular milk, it won’t be quite as thick but it will still taste great. 🙂
<3 <3 <3
Tiffany, this was a really tasty meal. I had spinach and feta cheese leftover from making an impossible pie. So the feather went in with another cheese blend. I also use plenty of garlic, there is no such thing as too much garlic. Also I use cornstarch instead of flour for thickening and finally I use sour cream instead of cream, always.