Creamy Alfredo Sauce

Makes about 12, 1 cup servings

Don’t let the seductive name fool you! This sauce is as delicious as it sounds, but a guilt-free version of its ridiculously high calorie and high fat counterpart. One cup of conventional Alfredo Sauce has a whopping 796 calories, compared to my recipe which has only 55, which is mostly attributed to calories from fat. Fat is good for us, but it has to be the right kind! Check out the one-cup comparison below. You’ll notice the macronutrient tag identifies this sauce as “balanced macro meal”, which is accurate. For the calories, the lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats are “balanced”. It’s just that it does need to be combined with more balanced foods to make it a higher calorie, substantial meal. Use this to smother chicken breasts, edamame noodles or roasted vegetables. Be creative!

WHAT TO BUY:  

• 8 Large Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 6 C Cauliflower Florets
• 7 C Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
• ¼ C Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• ½ C Nonfat Milk or almond milk
• 1 t Salt (or more to taste)
• ½ t Pepper
• 2 T Fresh Basil, Chopped

WHAT TO DO:

1. Sauté minced garlic with olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Cook for several minutes until the garlic is tender, not browned. Set aside.
2. Bring broth to boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower and cook, covered for about 10 minutes and fork tender. Do not drain.
3. If you have an immersion blender, add remaining ingredients into pot and blend until smooth.
4. If using a Vitamix or similar upright blender, use a slotted spoon to transfer half the cauliflower pieces into the blender. Add one cup of the vegetable or chicken broth, sautéed garlic, salt, pepper, milk, and parmesan. Blend for several minutes until the sauce is very smooth, adding more broth for consistency. You may need to do this in batches depending upon the size of your blender. Serve hot!

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU: