High protein Pasta dinner: light gluten-free Alfredo sauce/tomato cream sauce

Bring back pasta night! Indulge without undoing the workout. This recipe has colored vegetable pasta spirals, made-from-scratch high protein and gluten-free (or not) Alfredo sauce, dinner ready in 30 mins!

I’ve used #traderjoes colored vegetable pasta radiatorr spirals, it has 32gms of protein in tnr whole pack pack. About half the pack is perfect for this recipe. You could also use classic penne. For the sauce, I’ve used amaranth flour, mung flour and a dash of white flour (you can skip if you‘re strictly gluten-free or have allergies). I’ve added tomato paste to the Alfredo sauce as a very last step, but if you’re looking for a pure Alfredo version, skip step #11 below. The sauce can be made in the IP (saute mode) or classic stovetop. For a #vegan version, substitute butter with Olive oil and Parmesan with vegan cheese.

This is a completely vegetarian recipe, meaning the parmesan has no animal rennet, only microbia ones. TJ is a blessing!

The veggies are sprayed with Olive oil, Italian seasoning and air fried!

I hope you try this one, do let me know at #theflavorstation, if you have any questions! No harm in making this a date night! 😊

#theflavorstation #crispy #creative #aromatic #plantbasedrecipes #fusionfood #healthyfood #instantpot #airfryer #easycooking #highprotein #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter (or EVOO)

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (or vegan cashew based option)

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• 1/4 cup flour (half mung, half Amaranth)

• 1 TBSP APF (optional, skip if GF)

• 2 cups milk

• 2 TBSP dried parsley

• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

• salt to taste

• fresh ground black pepper

• 1 TBSP Herb de Provence (optional)

• 1.5 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)

Veggies

• Bell peppers (chunks, pref. Red)

• broccoli florets

• chopped spinach

Pasta

• 1/2 lb of Penne/spirals

• Fresh basil for garnish

Recipe

1. Boil water, pinch of salt, for the pasta.

2. Let the pasta start cooking, per instructions on the packet. This might differ based on the type of pasta you choose. Keep all ingredients handy before starting the next step.

3. In the IP(sauté mode) OR on the stovetop, warm the butter or EVOO

4. Add garlic and let it simmer

5. Add the flours *very slowly*, spoonful at a time, to let it get absorbed in the garlic-butter base without forming lumps. This is a key step.

6. Slowly add a quarter of the milk, simmer

7. Now slowly add the Parmesan in spoonfuls, mixing after each spoon

8. Make sure this is sauce-like texture and not a think lumpy paste

9. Add the rest of the milk, slowly, keep simmering.

10. Add salt, fresh ground black pepper, parsley and the Italian seasonings.

11. (Optional step) For the tomato cream sauce version, add tomato paste while this is still simmering.

12. Add the cooked pasta to this sauce.

13. Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm with a side of air-fried veggies.

Sides

1. Spray EVOO to the chopped mix veggies.

2. Coat with Italian seasoning and sea salt.

3. Mix well. Air fryer 375F, 8 mins

Pairs well with Butternut Squash soup (posted last month). And red wine (Zinfindel is what I recommend)

Alfredo sauce version(no tomato paste):