Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

Everybody loves fettucine alfredo. I mean, what's not to love? Thick, buttery, creamy, garlicky cheese sauce over chewy, delicious pasta. While everyone loves eating it, no one likes how fattening it is. This is why I have concocted a lightened-up version of this Italian classic using spaghetti squash and Laughing Cow cheese.

Let's put things in perspective: one serving of Olive Garden's fettucine alfredo is 780 calories. My version is less than half that at 342. Olive Garden's also has 125 grams of carbs while mine has only 18. The secret is substituting spaghetti squash for the pasta and Laughing Cow cheese and almondmilk for the heavy cream. But don't worry, this recipe still contains the important parts of alfredo: lots of garlic, a little butter, and parmesan cheese.

So let's get to it!

Spaghetti Squash & Laughing Cow Alfredo
Makes 2 servings (plus a little extra squash)
342 calories per serving

Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon butter
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup unsweetened almondmilk (or other low-fat milk)
6 wedges garlic and herb Laughing Cow cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste (I probably used 3/4 teaspoon each)

Directions:
1. Use a knife to poke holes all over the squash, then nuke it in the microwave for approximately 12 minutes or until slightly soft to the touch.
2. Once the squash is ready, remove it from the microwave--it will be very hot!--and let it stand for a few minutes.
3. When it is cool enough to touch, slice it in half lengthwise.

4. Scoop out the seeds and throw into a bowl. You can either trash this or roast the seeds.

5. Using a fork, scrape out as much of the spaghetti-like strands of squash as you can. Continue until you have enough or until you get bored of scraping.

6. Put your "spaghetti" in a large saute pan and heat over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes to evaporate the excess moisture. I added a few dashes of salt for good measure. Then turn off heat and begin the alfredo sauce.

7. Add the butter to a saucepan and let it melt until it is bubbling. Saute the minced garlic until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
8. Add in the almondmilk and bring to a brisk simmer.
9. Unwrap all 6 wedges of Laughing Cow and add them in, using a whisk to break them up and get them melted into the sauce.

10. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk to incorporate.

11. Once the sauce is smooth, add in the parmesan bit by bit to ensure it is fully integrated.
12. The sauce should be a fairly thick consistency at this point, enough to coat a spoon. If it is too thin, let it simmer a few minutes longer. If it is too thick, add more milk. Mine got pretty thick, but I prefer it that way.

13. Serve by plating a cup of the squash, half the alfredo and a sprinkling of parmesan and/or parsley. Then enjoy your low-cal version of an indulgent meal!

I'm glad I have begun experimenting with spaghetti squash. I love pasta and all Italian food, but the carbs and calories of pasta aren't the best thing for a girl who's watching what she eats. By tricking myself with a spaghetti-like vegetable, I can control the calories I'm consuming and get more nutrition while enjoying some of my favorite Italian goodies!

For instance, this squash would be equally tasty with some low-cal marinara, a quick tomato, mushroom and zucchini sauce or some basil pesto. The possibilities are as endless as they would be with regular pasta! I'm definitely looking forward to lightening up more pasta dishes with this useful seasonal veggie, and I hope you are too.