Pasta in Alfredo Sauce ( low-fat version)

Alfredo Sauce is a rich, creamy accompaniment to any pasta. Alfredo sauce is a white sauce, traditionally it was made with butter and Parmesan cheese, but more modernly, and especially in the United States, alfredo sauce also includes heavy cream. In many parts of the world, Alfredo sauce is prepared separately from the pasta. In Italy, the country where these sauces and pastas are originated, Alfredo sauce is not made separately from the pasta. Instead, the ingredients are added to the pasta individually and the whole mixture is tossed to coat the pasta.  

This Alfredo sauce with any kind of pasta is one of my family's favorites. It may not come to the low fat recipe category, but for a special treat you can't beat cheese and pasta together! Once in a while, we deserve some indulgence, right?

In my low fat Alfredo sauce version, I don't add cream, I totally avoid it, instead I use both parmesan and mozzarealla cheese. To substitute the cream, I use flour with milk and it makes this sauce extra creamy but lower in fat.

Ingredients:

Pasta (any kind of pasta will go, I used large shell shaped one)
Garlic : 3-4 cloves(big-minced)
Onion : 1(medium-sliced)
Broccoli, potato & peppers : 1 cup(sliced lengthwise)
Parmesan cheese : 1/3 cup(shredded)
Mozzarella chesse : 1/3 cup(shredded)
Milk : 1/3 cup(approx.)
Flour : 3 tblsp.
Salt to taste
Butter/oil : 2 tblsp.

Method :

• Boil water in some heavy bottomed pan, add salt and pasta. Drizzle little oil while cooking pasta to avoid sticking to one another. Cook until pasta is done, approx. 12-15 minutes. Pasta should not be over cooked, not too soft, not too hard. Drain and set aside.
• Heat butter or oil in a pan, shallow fry the sliced veggies with salt and set aside. In the same pan, add onions and minced garlic. Saute for a while, but don't let them get brown. Add flour now, stir continuously, when it starts changing colour, add milk. Cook until it thickened. 
• Now add shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheese little at a time and stir to mix it with the sauce. Before adding cheese, lower the heat to low to avoid burning. 
• After adding the cheese, add pasta and coat well with the sauce. If you think, the sauce is little thick, add little more milk and adjust the creaminess of the sauce. Add salt and pepper to the pasta according to your taste.
• Mix well and cook gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring in between, so that pasta can absorb the sauce. 

Serve topped with some extra parmesan cheese, tomato slices and parsley.

Earlier pasta recipe reposting for the event :

Classic Mac n Cheese with vegetables(stove top version)


Sending these pasta dishes to Sowmya for her Cooking with pasta Event.

Classic Mac n Cheese w/vegetables(stove top version)

SAY CHEEEEEEEEEEESE TO THE HEALTH OF IT!!
Cheese's high nutritional value and its beneficial roles in health make this food an important dairy food to include in a healthful diet. Cheese contains a high concentration of essential nutrients, in particular high quality protein and calcium, as well as other nutrients such as phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin, and vitamin B12.
In addition to its nutritional contribution to the diet, cheese has several health attributes. Certain cheeses such as Cheddar, Swiss, blue, Monterey Jack, and process American cheese, among others, have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of dental caries. Consuming cheese may stimulate the flow of saliva, which has caries reducing properties. Milk proteins in cheese have been demonstrated to neutralize plaque acids through their buffering capacity.To help reduce tooth decay, health professionals recommend eating cheese immediately after meals, or as a between-meal snack. other health benfits includes improving bone health, reducing high blood pressure and managing weight.
Many cheeses, particularly aged cheeses such as Cheddar and Swiss, contain little or no lactose. For this reason, cheese is an important source of calcium and many other nutrients found in milk for lactose intolerant peoples. (facts source: National dairy council of America)
So give your family their daily servings of cheese. As cheese is also high in sodium and saturated fat, consume low fat cheese and always low sodium content cheese. AND Moderation is the Key.....you can enjoy everything but in moderate quantity.
I'll share with you a good way to serve kids Cheese....Kids' favorite Classic
Macaroni & Cheese or Mac' N Cheese with vegetable(stove top version-no eggs)
(the touch-up of garlic, hot sauce and mustard take this supreme comfort food into another level)


Ingredients :
Elbow Macaroni : 1 pack
Carrot : 2(cubed)
Corn : 1/2 cup
Flour : 2 tblsp.
Milk : 2/3 cup
Cheddar cheese(I used white cheddar) : 1 cup(shredded)
Butter : 2 tblsp.
Garlic : 4 pods(chopped finely)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Hot sauce like Tabasco: 2 tsp. (as per taste)
Dijon Mustard : 1 tblsp. (optional)

Method :

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni or any kind of swirly pasta until done, not mushy but little softer than we do for other pasta dishes. Drain and keep aside.
  
• In a large pan, melt butter, add cubed carrots, fry until done, add corn, fry adding little salt. Keep aside. In the same pan, add chopped garlic, stir fry for a minute or two, then add flour, mix in the butter. Then pour the milk over. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
• Then add shredded cheese and combine with the milk. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes until sauce thickened. Now add drained pasta and cooked vegetables. Combine with the sauce. Add hot sauce according to your tolerance(if cooking for kids, omit hot sauce), mustard, salt and pepper according to your taste.
  

This nutritious creamy dish can make any kid
(even adults) happy with no failure. So sending this to CFK:Healthy Lunch-boxes, where Neha of Tasty Recipes is the host for this month, event started by Sharmi of Neivedyam

Pasta Bolognese with Chicken Sausage

Bolognese Sauce is a meat(beef) based sauce for pasta (Ragù as known in Italian) originated in Bologna, Italy. The people of Bologna traditionally serve their famous Ragù with freshly made tagliatelle(Thick ribbon shaped pasta), but this sauce also pairs very well with other pastas and with Spagheti, too.
The authentic version contains these ingredients : minced beef, pancetta or bacon, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, wine, chicken liver can also be added and freshly grated nutmeg and grated parmesan cheese to garnish. It's not a tomato based sauce but a meat based. Traditionally very little tomato sauce is used in this recipe. Main ingredient here is meat.
I created this bolognese sauce with chicken sausages in stead of minced beef as I don't eat beef. It incorporated very well in the sauce as I expected. All the other ingredients I used as in the authentic version requires.



Ingredients :
Chicken sausage : 4-5 nos.
Onion(medium) : 2(finely chopped)
Carrot : 1 (diced)
Celery stick : 1(diced)
Potato(medium) : 1(diced)
Garlic : 2 cloves(grated)
Toamto paste or puree : 2 tblsp.
Fresh green or red chilli : 2(finely chopped)
Chicken stock : 1/2 cup
Salt and black pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg : 1 tsp.
Olive oil : 3 tblsp.
Pasta of your choice (I used Penne pasta)
Dried or fresh Italian herbs(oregano, thyme, parsley& rosemary) &
Freshly grated parmesan cheese for Garnishing

Method :

• Boil water in a heavy based saucepan and throw sausages in that and boil them for 4-5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt in that.

• Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water until tender.

• Heat oil in a pan, fry sausages in that until light brown. Drain on a paper towel. When they are slightly cooled, chopped them finely. Keep aside.
• In the same pan, add onion, garlic and chopped chillies. When onions turn light brown, add chopped carrot, potato and celery. Brown them and then add choppd sausages. Try to mash them as much as you can with the back of your ladle. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes, then add tomato puree or paste, mix well.
  
• Then pour the stock. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to boil, half-covered until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Add cooked pasta and toss with the sauce. Check the seasoning, add more salt and black pepper if needed.
  
• Now add dried or fresh herbs and toss well with the pasta.
  
• Garnish with little extra herbs sprinkling on top of the dish and with greated paremsan, if you like. Serve immediately warm.
  

Sending this amazingly delicious one-pot pasta dish
to Presto Pasta Nights#119, guest hosted by
Pots & Plots , original brainchild of Ruth Daniels of Once Upon A Feast

Mee Goreng - Stir-fried Veg. Noodles

Mee goreng, is a very famous dish in South-East Asia, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Goreng means fried and mee means noodles. It is made with thin yellow noodles fried with onion, fried tofu, chili either with vegetables or chicken stripes or shrimp or egg or can be made as combination of all. Basically, it's a stir fried noodles. This recipe is only with vegetables. I made this noodles with famous Maggi noodles. This is a very quick-fix meal, ideal for any lazy dinner or lunch.


Ingredients :
Maggi Noodles : 2 sachets
Potato : 1 (sliced, lengthwise)
Carrot : 1 (sliced, lengthwise)
Cauliflower : 4-5 florets (chopped)
Capsicum : 1 (sliced, lengthwise)
Cabbage : 1/2(Sliced, lengthwise)
Spinach : 1 cup (chopped)
Onion : 1 (medium, sliced)
Ginger : 1/2" (chopped finely)
Garlic : 2 (chopped finely)
Raw peanuts : 1/2 cup(optional)
Fresh red/green chilli : 2-3(chopped)
Light soy sauce : 1tsp.
Vinegar : 1 tsp.
Hot chilli sauce : 1 tblsp.
Tomato Ketchup : 1 tblsp.
Oil : 3 tblsp.
Sugar : 1 tsp.
Black pepper & Salt to season

Method :

• Boil noodles as per instruction. Drain under running water.Keep aside.
  
• Fry the raw peanuts until dark brown and keep aside. I love to add peanuts in my noodles.
  
• Heat 1 tblsp. oil in a wok, add thinly sliecd potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and capsicum. Stir well and cover the lid and let it cook. When veggies are tender, lastly add cabbage and spinach. Cover with lid for 2-3 minutes. When tender, remove from the heat and set aside.
  
• In the same wok, heat rest of the oil. Add onions, ginger, garlic and fresh chilli, stir for 1-2 minutes. Don't let them change the colour. Then add soy sauce, vinegar, hot chilli sauce, ketchup, sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir for a minute, then add fried veggies, fried peanuts and noodles.
  
• Toss everything very well. Season with salt and black pepper. Heat through and serve hot garnishing with red chilli flakes or fresh red chilli.
  

Garlic flavoured Roasted Paneer & Vegetable Pasta

Everyone in my house is Pasta-lover, especially my daughter. I have to make pasta at least once a week and now she is having holidays in school, almost every other day she will ask me to make pasta.
Last week, when I was visiting Soma's space(Ecurry), I saw she is hosting a great event : Hay Hay It's Donna Day where she chose Chicken and roasted capsicum pasta. I usually make my pasta with lots of vegetables , but never tried roasting the veges. This time I followed her way with few little additions as per the event rules, one can personalize a little.


Here is my version...............

Ingredients :
Pasta of any type...I used Macaroni
Capsicum, Broccoli, corn & cherry tomatoes : 1/3 cup each
Paneer(Indian cottage cheese) or Tofu : 1/2 cup
Onion : 1(medium)
Garlic paste : 2 tblsp.
Tomato paste : 2 tblsp.
Black Pepper as per taste
Salt to taste
Oil : 2 tblsp.
Roasted Peanut : 1/3 cup
Dried Oregano & Thyme : 2 tsp. each
Fresh cilantro for garnishing

Method :

• Cook Macaroni or any type of pasta in salted water with a drizzle of oil(to avoild sticking pasta with one another) until done. Rinse under cold water, drain & keep aside.
• Cut capsicum lengthwise, broccolis in medium size pieces, and tomatoes in half. Sprinkle little salt and black pepper. I roasted them on a Tawa( flat pan). Spray little cooking oil on tawa and roast them in medium heat until brown and done.
• I fried the paneer pieces on tawa using little oil. Dry roast the peanuts and keep aside.
• Take a heavy bottomed pan, add 2 tblsp. oil. Add sliced onion. Stir fry a little, then add garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, then add cooked pasta, salt and black pepper to taste. Now add all the herbs, mix well with pasta.
  
• Then add Roasted veges, paneer and peanuts. Toss well and serve hot garnishing fresh cilantro over each plate.

So sending this most easiest and yummiest pasta dish to Soma for her event "Hay Hay It's Donna day where Bron is the facilitator.

Garlic Flavoured Hot Dog Pasta & Asking for visitor's tips - What Do You Pack In Your child's Lunchbox?

To pack, small children's school lunchbox is a daily challenge for every mom. To pack a lunchbox, which is healthy and eye-catchy for them and which they will like and eat in your absense. Over that, their taste buds change very frequently. One thing they won't like for long time. So, I am asking tips or recipes from my visitor's and fellow bloggers...What Do You Pack In Your child's Lunchbox?
You can write your tips in comments section of this post or you can mail me at indranidh(at)gmail(dot)com, put lunchbox in the subject line. Don't forget to write your name & blog name.

Write me within Dec.27,2008 and I will publish them for everyone.

I want to share one of my daughter's favorite Pasta recipe.........

Garlic Flavoured Hot Dog Pasta


Ingredients :
Pasta : 1/2 pack of any kind
Vegetables : Carrot, green bean, green & red pepper, corn, green peas
you can add any vegetables of your choice(cut in small pieces)
Onion : 1 (small)
Garlic : 4-5 pods(blanched)
Tomato sauce : 2-3 tblsp.
Chilli sauce : 1-2 tblsp. (optional)
Black Pepper : 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Oil : 3 tblsp.

Method :

• Cook pasta in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt until done. Drain and keep aside.
• Hot-dogs are always cooked before packaging. But hot-dogs and their packaging fluid are sometimes contaminated. So I always wash and put them in boiled water for 5 minutes. Then deep-fry hot-dogs in oil until it gets brown from all sides. Cut in small round pieces and keep aside.
• In a pan, pour oil, fry all the vegetables until done and keep aside. In the same oil, fry onions for some time, then add blanched garlic and stir fry for 2 mintes.
  
• Then add tomato sauce and chilli sauce, if you child can't tolerate chilli sauce, avoid it. Mix finely, then add cooked pasta, vegetables and hot-dogs. Give it a good stir, add salt and black pepper. Mix everything together and you are done.