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Recipe Rehab: Spaghetti Carbonara
Posted on Jun 10th 2010 12:00PM by Tanya Zuckerbrot
Ingvar Eriksson, Getty Images
Spaghetti Carbonara is the classic "bacon and egg" spaghetti dish. It's great for a quick meal and one of our readers, Shanee, describes it as one of her comfort foods. She would like to see a lower fat version so she won't feel guilty when indulging in this dish. Bacon, eggs and cheese, oh my! The high saturated fat content of this meal could be linked to high cholesterol levels and increased risk for heart disease if consumed too frequently.
In my rehab, I will cut down on the saturated fat by replacing the bacon with smoked salmon. Smoked salmon has a great savory flavor and contains healthier omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, I will use olive oil, high in monounsaturated fats, to replace the bacon fat and to sauté the vegetables. I will also add zucchini (or you could add summer squash), which contains a good amount of vitamins and minerals, to pump up the nutrition and complement the flavor of the dish. And finally, to add fiber, I will replace the noodles with whole wheat spaghetti.
I hope you enjoy this quick easy meal, guilt free!
Ingredients:
8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
1 cup egg beaters
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. smoked salmon
3 cups sliced summer squash or zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Instructions:
1. In a large pot, boil water and cook the spaghetti until it is al dente.
2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce by beating the egg beaters and Parmesan cheese together in a small bowl.
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the salmon and heat through. Then add the summer squash or zucchini and continue to cook until it is translucent.
4. Once the pasta is drained, but while it is still hot, add the egg mixture and stir with quick strokes until the hot pasta has cooked the eggs.
5. Add the vegetable and salmon mixture and season with lemon zest, parsley, salt and pepper.
Serves: 4
Nutrition Content (per serving): 357 calories, 10 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 43 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 26 g protein, 545 mg sodium
For more ways to cook spaghetti, try my Spaghetti with Clam Sauce.
Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REHAB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.
Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach, Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com and www.theskinnyondietitians.com has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Send us your recipe!
