Today's Praise: Dryer's Fruit Bars (Strawberry)
A great one point way to get a little sweetness after your dinner meal..and no HFCS!



Today's Recipe: Laughing Cow Alfredo

I'm having a bad day, so I'll try not to be overly snarky as I post today's blog entry. This morning, I was very excited because I get to get out of this hell hole (ok it isn't THAT bad) called Longmont and go HOME. Only to find out, I get to come back for the ENTIRE week again next week...so I get to sleep not in my bed, hear a train 4 times a night, and work and study and work and study. FUUUUN. At least I can go good Organic food shopping on the Company's dime again though....silver lining, anyone?

I hate days like this because it makes me want to EAT. Forget that piece of coconut cake I already had this morning, if you came at me with a Heath bar I'd scarf it in 10 seconds flat. I think I'll turn to drinking instead. Thoughts?

Today's recipe is widely used across the diet world, and it may have started with the Hungry Girl. Check her out. In any case, this is a delicious substitution for cream laden alfredo sauces which pack tons of fat and calories. Its called Laughing Cow Alfredo, and can be adapted in a million ways to make tons of different dishes. I am thinking of making a batch of this to pour over some pasta next week while I'm back to hotel living.

Laughing Cow Alfredo (basic recipe)
6 wedges Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb
1 cup milk (I use skim, 2% is probably more ideal)
1 T parmesan cheese
1 T Margarin
1 clove garlic, minced*

*You can also use garlic powder instead

Basically, dump it all into a sauce pan. Set it on low. Stir it a lot and in 20 minutes you'll have a nice alfredo. Now, that said...I think because I use skim milk it doesn't always thicken. So about halfway in, I put in a slurry of cornstarch and a little more milk whisked together (about 1-2 T of each). Get that mixed in, and once everything is all melted and combined it should be nice and thick.

Last week I made this and mixed it with some specialty pasta (OO maybe that will be my Praise one day soon!) that was rosemary flavored along with some cut up broccoli florets and shrimps. Yes, shrimps..not shrimp.

If you're not a veggie (why are you reading this blog?) you can do chicken and broccoli. Its really good too, which I found out before I was a veggie!

This recipe is, in theory, for two...but I find once you pack it with veggies and shrimp(s) it expands to at least three. Depending on your pasta of choice, I'd say use about 4 oz dried pasta if you're mixing. If not go 8 ish. Remember I don't measure.

Happy Friday!