Lighter Creamy Garlic Pasta

You all know my weakness for pasta and cream sauces, right? So I don't need to go over again how much I love any and all types of pasta or how cream sauces make me swoon? Good. I don't want to bore you.

As you also know, we are trying to eat healthier these days. Pasta and cream sauces don't normally fit into that kind of lifestyle, but I have to practice moderation in some things because I can't completely give up the things I love. Enter this insanely good recipe for Lighter Creamy Garlic Pasta. As Stephanie points out, the original recipe is full of heavy, fatty (delicious) ingredients. The good news is she was able to lighten it up substantially without sacrificing flavor. That makes me very, very happy. I want to be a healthier cook but I admit to knowing nothing about transforming unhealthy recipes. So a big thank you to Stephanie for doing the heavy lifting for me.


I served this pasta as a side dish, another attempt at enjoying the things we love in moderation - turn pasta into a side dish instead of an entree. Of course I served it with steak (not so healthy), but tried to redeem myself with grilled asparagus. We both loved it and I snuck an extra fork-ful before packing the leftovers away. The next day I turned the leftovers into a delicious pasta dish by cutting the steak and asparagus into bite-size pieces and tossing it with the pasta and a little water to thin out the sauce again (don't you hate how creamy sauces clump up once refrigerated?) It was insanely good, dare I say better than the original meal.

My only modification was to add fresh herbs instead of dried. I always have parsley in the fridge and I'm growing basil in my garden. Both added a wonderful burst of freshness to the dish. This couldn't have been simpler to make since you're cooking everything in one pan. Baby Girl tried a bite of mine at dinner and then enjoyed her portion the following night (she's a carbaholic, you know).

Lighter Creamy Garlic Pasta
Stephanie Cooks

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
1/2 pound angel hair
1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced basil

Heat the oil, garlic, and butter in a large, deep skillet. Stir frequently. After 1-2 minutes add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, and milk. Bring the broth to a boil. Add the angel hair and allow it to cook according to packaging directions. Off heat, add the cheese, parsley and basil, stirring well. Serve immediately.