I got a hankering for alfredo sauce a few weeks ago. Just one of those cravings that comes out of the blue. I probably saw a jar of alfredo sauce in the grocery store or something - I can't say where it began. But at some point, I found myself actually picking up a jar, thinking it might be a nice idea...until I read the ingredients label:
Water, Cream, Parmesan Cheese Blend (Granular And Parmesan Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Salt, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid), Cornstarch, Egg Yolks, Roasted Garlic, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Butter, Sherry Cooking Wine, Salt, Soybean Oil, Romano Cheese Blend (Granular And Romano Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Whey, Salt), Sugar, Garlic*, Spice, Enzyme, Gum Arabic, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor. Contains: Milk, Egg. *Dried Nothing too offensive (other than it's all been highly processed in order to be shelf-stable), until you get down to the soybean oil (I avoid any form of soy in my family's diet for a number of reasons), mysterious "enzyme" (?), gum arabic, and guar gum. Yum. Then there is the "natural flavor", which, in some cases can be MSG. I put the jar calmly on the shelf, backed away, and decided to get the ingredients to make my own, instead. This is a super simple sauce - no roux or thickeners required - because it uses cream cheese, a trick I learned in Turkey from an ex-pat friend as a simpler option for making homemade mac and cheese. You can literally have a nice, warm, creamy sauce, ready to serve, in about 15 minutes with very little effort. To keep this meal low-carb and high-veggie, I served the sauce over spaghetti squash topped with sauteed veggies. (I served it to the boys over brown rice rotini with carrots and cukes on the side to accomodate their...um...discerning tastes.) The richness of the Alfredo sauce paired with the crunchy-freshness of the various vegetables made for a meal that didn't feel too heavy but was very satisfying. In the future, I would like to try some variations on this theme by adding fresh herbs or maybe diced sundried tomatoes to the sauce. Ingredients 1 block of cream cheese or Neufchatel (do not use fat-free or low-fat cream cheese as they don't heat well) 1 cup of milk 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 2 cloves minced garlic 1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt 1. Heat the butter over medium heat in a sauce pan. When melted, add milk, garlic, and salt. Stir and allow to warm. 2. Add entire block of cream cheese. Using a whisk, stir occasionally as it warms. Whisk it thoroughly to remove lumps. 3. Add in Parmesan cheese and stir well. Keep on warm burner until ready to serve. Also reheats nicely in a day or two. 4. Serve over spaghetti squash or pasta. If you are using spaghetti squash, start it about 1 hour before you want to eat. To prepare spaghetti squash, cut in half and place skin-side-up on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Place in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes, then flip over and using a fork, scrape out strands. Veggie Saute: I used onions, garlic, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and grated carrots. Saute in a generous amount of olive oil over medium heat while your sauce simmers.
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AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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