Spaghetti Carbonara

There are a couple ingredients of this recipe that make it high in saturated fat: bacon, cream, and cheese.  There are also a few healthy ingredients missing in this recipe, such as vegetables.  So I changed the recipe a little bit to make it a little healthier, but keep in mind this is still not a low calorie item.  Instead of using all cream,  I used part skim-milk and part cream.  I use lean center cut bacon, but you can also use lean turkey bacon.  I cut back on the amount of parmesan cheese.  I also added a bit of paprika to the sauce for a bit of sweet peppery flavor.  I use Barilla Plus spaghetti because it is higher in protein and fiber compared to regular pasta and has a better taste and texture than whole wheat pasta.

Paprika Carbonara

What you'll need:
- 2 slices center cut bacon, cooked until very crispy and crumbled
- half an onion, finely chopped
- 4 oz Barilla Plus spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp cream
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil


What to do:
1. Saute spinach in olive oil until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes; remove and set aside
2. Saute onion about 3 - 4 minutes, then reduce heat to low.
3. In a bowl, mix together the egg, milk, cream, and paprika.  Add egg mixture, bacon, parsley, salt, and pepper, and pasta to the pan with the onion.  Stir together until mixture thickens. Be careful not to overcook. Serve over a bed of spinach.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese.  Recipe makes 2 servings.