Cut the Fat, Keep the Creamy Pasta Carbonara
Carbonara is traditionally made by tossing the pasta in bacon grease and heavy cream. By making this dish with turkey bacon, fat-free yogurt, and half-and-half, you still get those great carbonara flavors—my husband’s favorite—without tons of saturated fat.
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Cooking spray
6 slices of nitrate-free turkey bacon, chopped
4 egg yolks
½ cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
½ cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups frozen peas
1 16-ounce box quinoa pasta (or brown rice or multigrain pasta)
2 tablespoons half-and-half
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat two large cookie sheets with cooking spray.
- Spread the turkey bacon on the sheets and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Set aside.
- Place the peas in a large colander and set it in the sink. Cook the pasta in a stockpot according to the package instructions; drain the pasta on top of the peas to defrost them. Return the pasta and pea mixture to the stockpot and place it over very low heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, yogurt, cheese, and pepper until smooth. Add the egg mixture and turkey bacon to the pasta pot.
- Toss the pasta about 1 minute, until the egg mixture evenly coats the noodles. Turn off the heat, add the half-and-half and stir well. Top with basil and serve immediately.
Chef Jennifer Iserloh is founder and president of Skinny Chef Culinary Services, where healthy living means happy living. She is the author of the cookbook Secrets of a Skinny Chef – 100 Decadent, Guilt-Free Recipes.
Nutrition
Calories: 470Total Fat: 12 g
(Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 510 mg
Carbohydrate: 65 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 19 g
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