Guest Blogger: Mama & the Dudes

Hey guys! I'm Mandey.

*hiiiii Mandey!*

That's me up there. In case you were wondering.
*Oh she looks nice. Wait, what kind of Mandey puts an E in her name?*

I'm so excited to be here and because I was so excited I brought one of my favorite recipes as of late. I got it from the Cook This Not That cookbook which gives you healthier versions of the really-bad-for-you restaurant versions. They try to keep everything in the cookbook 350 calories or less, this is one recipe that goes slightly over. But, for fettuccini, this is probably as healthy as it gets. I go to this cookbook when I really want something BAD. I don't feel so bad about it afterward because I've made this all myself and can control how much I eat and what goes into it.

The stats:
390 calories
12 g fat
730 mg sodium

Compared to the Olive Garden Fettuccini Alfredo:
1,220 calories
75 g fat
1,350 mg sodium.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz dried fettuccine


• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter


• 1 1/2 Tbsp flour (I used whole wheat flour)


• 1 cup milk (I used skim)


• 1/2 cup half and half


• 3/4 cup chopped bottled roasted red peppers (I used sweet roasted)


• 2 cloves garlic, halved


• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan


• Salt and black pepper to taste (It definitely needs salt, I also added garlic powder for a little extra taste)

How to make it:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (usually about 30 seconds to a minute less than the package instructions recommended). I just cooked them until they looked soft enough to eat.


• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute until the two are fully incorporated. Slowly add the milk and half and half, whisking to help prevent lumps from forming. Add the red pepper and garlic. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth and uniform in color. Return to the pan and stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the pasta is done cooking.


• Drain the pasta and add directly to the saucepan. Toss to coat evenly.
  

Ways to mix it up:

• Add shrimp or chicken (which I did).


• After tossing the pasta and sauce stir in 4 cups baby spinach and cook just until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute.


• Stir in 2 cups each sauteed mushrooms and roasted broccoli right before adding pasta.
  

Anyways. I hope you guys try this! It's really good and a great alternative to the really bad stuff. Being healthy isn't about starving yourself or working yourself out until you're about to die. Eat the bad stuff in moderation, or like this recipe does, find a way to make it healthier. Oh, and I only had ONE SERVING of this, which I estimated to be about a cup. (A generous cup). When you start eating the amount they give you at the restaurant, you start getting into trouble.

Stop on over to my blog, Mama and the Dudes for more posts on health, life, oh and the cutest little curly haired boys I've ever made.

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Ok, how cute is she? I know, right. And she's just as sweet in person, as I was luck enough to meet Mandey when I went to BlogHer earlier this month. I hope you guys enjoy this amazing recipe and don't forget to visit her blog... her twin boys are adorable!

Vote if you're hungry!