Shrimp Fettuccini with Vodka Sauce

We are HUGE pasta lovers in my house, as I'm sure most households are. I always look for healthier alternatives to pasta, so it can taste delicious but not leave me feeling guilty. Don't get me wrong, I am ALL about having "treat" days and making sure that you allow yourself indulges every now and then, but with pasta I would FOR SURE go overboard lol So, here is a healthy alternative that I found that was amazing and under 400 calories, PLUS I got to use vodka sooooo, SCORE!!!





Here is what you will need:

The recipe called for 9 ounces of fresh linguine, but I used Butternut Squash Fettuccini

3/4 pound of large shrimp (the store I went to only has small shrimp so I used a pound)

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup Vodka

1 1/2 Cups reduced sodium marinara sauce (I spiced mine up a bit with red pepper to give it a little kick)

1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves

 

 

 

 

Preparation:

 

1. Cook pasta as directed

 

2. Heat 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil in 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to skillet on a single layer, undisturbed for 1 minute.  Flip and add garlic and saute one more minute and transfer to plate.

 

3. Carefully add vodka to the pan and cook for 1 minute.  Add marinara sauce and bring to a simmer.  Add drained pasta, reserved shrimp and juices, basil, and 3-4 tbsp of water.  Toss well to combine and heat through.  Divide among 4 serving bowls and garnish with extra basil if desired.

 

4. ENJOY!!!!

 

This is SUPER easy and took me less than 15 minutes to make :)

 

NUTRITION FACTS (estimate):

349 Calories, 26g of protein, 41g Carbs, 7g Fat, 3g Fiber



 

 

 

 

Tortellini Primavera

I have been trying a lot of great recipes lately, all of which are SO easy to make and are healthy.  This one has to be one of my faves though.  In fact, it was a family favorite.  I found the recipe on eatingwell.com and since I'm a HUGE pasta lover, I just had to give it a try :)
 
Makes: 5 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
 

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese or 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, dill or chives or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots and snap peas, or 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 16-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini

Preparation

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Meanwhile, whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture to the pan, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese, tarragon (or dill or chives) and salt.
3. Add vegetables and tortellini to the boiling water; return the water to a simmer and cook until the vegetables and tortellini are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain; add to the pan with the sauce and stir to coat.

Nutrition

Per serving: 424 calories; 15 g fat (8 g sat, 4 g mono);68 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 14 g protein; 5 g fiber; 566 mg sodium; 321 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (126% daily value), Calcium (20% dv), Vitamin C (17% dv), Folate (16% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 3
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 high-fat meat, 2 fat