Alfredo Sauce with Mushrooms, Leeks, and Peas

I think pasta is a food of the gods. How could it be more perfect? Sauce, little tiny bits of cooked dough in pretty designs and shapes, sprinkled with cheese, delicious with any food added to it or alongside any main dish. I love love love pasta!

Now, with all that being said, I (sadly) mostly gave up pasta years ago when it became known to me that white flour was the spawn of Satan, ruining my health and my figure. Sigh.... I saved it for special occasions and visits to my grandma, which are special occasions.  : )

That was until I heard about Jovial Foods! They offer a line of whole grain Einkorn and brown rice pasta (gluten-free) that actually tastes good. This stuff is great. If you are looking for a better choice pasta then you should definitely give it a try. I have tried many alternative pastas and most are pretty gross, but in all seriousness, Jovial's line is really good.

Spanish-Style Cod in Tomato Broth

This recipe is from the November 2011 issue of Cooking Light, page 50 (the Super Fast section). I changed the recipe a little and we served ours with bulgur rather than brown rice since we were short on time.

Test Kitchen: Leek and Asparagus Bread Pudding

This is another recipe from the Clean Eating blog I have recently discovered. Click this link for the original recipe. I modified only slightly. I have to admit, I am not a big fan of asparagus. However, my husband really likes it and so I made this recipe in the hopes that I would find an asparagus recipe we all love. Unfortunately, this recipe did not do it for me. If you like asparagus, you will really like this recipe (my husband loved it).

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 large leek, lighter bottom part only, sliced thinly
2 bunches aspargus, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup white cooking wine (or dry white wine)
6-8 slices of whole grain, no-sugar added bread, like Ezekial, cut into cubes
1 cup shredded cheese (swiss, gruyere, cheddar, etc.)
5 eggs
3 cups lowfat milk
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (such as chives, parsley, chervil, sage, thyme, and/or marjoram, etc.)
Salt and Pepper to taste

How To:
1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 3-4 quart (9x12) baking dish by misting with olive oil or greasing with butter.

2. Saute: Cook leeks and asparagus in oil over medium heat 1-2 minutes, then add wine and cook about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.

3. Eggs, Bread Cubes & Combine: In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, then add cheese and herbs followed by the cooled leeks and asparagus. Then gently fold in the bread cubes. Mix until the bread is evenly coated but not falling apart.

4. Bake: Spread into baking dish and cook uncovered 50 minutes to 1 hour, when knife or toothpick comes out clean. Wait 5-10 minutes to serve.

Comments:
This makes enough for about 10-12 side dish servings. According to the original recipe, about 192 calories per serving, 2.5 grams of fiber, and 11 grams of protein. Very nice!