For 2: Zucchini Alfredo

I’m not gonna go all out and say this pasta dish is good for you, but I will say it is better for you than the traditional fettuccini alfredo. In all actuality it is not really all fettuccini or all alfredo, I used a thinly sliced zucchini for half of the noodles and reduced fat cream cheese for the alfredo, but it was creamy, comforting, cheesy and filling. And if you're honest with yourself isn’t that what you want from a Fettuccini Alfredo? I used a mandolin to transform the zucchini to noodles, but you could easily do it with a knife and some patience. I will tell you now and I will say it again in the recipe, at one point the cream cheese is going to look really weird – like you think it is ruined/curdled/burned type of weird, but just keep stirring and keep going with it – it will work out in the end. This really is so delicious and with the chopping and cooking comes together in about 20 minutes.
Sincerely Loving Food,
Lainey

Zucchini Alfredo
1 pint cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 zucchini
4-5 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened and cut into 4 or 5 cubes
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
4 ounces fettuccini noodles
¼ lb Boiled Shrimp (optional)
Parmesan cheese for topping

Score zucchini length wise into three portions and then cut with a mandolin to make noodle shaped pieces, or cut with a knife like so:

In a large skillet sauté onion and mushrooms over medium high heat with a little olive oil for about 4 to 5 minutes or beginning to soften. Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package directions. Add ½ cup of pasta water to onion and mushrooms and then stir in cream cheese. The cream cheese may look a little odd (curdled or burned but just keep stirring). Once cream cheese is totally incorporated (about 3 or 4 minutes) stir in zucchini “noodles” and pasta to let everything warm through and come together. Top with fresh basil, parmesan cheese and shrimp (if desired). Enjoy!

no shrimp:

with shrimp: