I love pasta, but unfortunately I stay away from pasta because it's  loaded with a lot of fat and carbs, not to mention it's not very kind to the waste line. Since we are in the middle of the holidays, for me, it's about keeping it light to indulge in the holiday treats and food!

Last week I was craving pasta and was dreaming up of a concoction that would satisfy my craving and without all the guilt. To the kitchen I went, and I made the most delicious, decadent, and guiltless pasta with veggies I got from a co-op and items in the fridge.

To cut carbs, my trick was to use Pasta Zero Plus by Nasoya. Pasta Zero Plus has 15 calories and 4g of carbs per serving, leaving room to include small indulgences like bacon. I also used avocados to make a creamy sauce, skipping out on heavy creams to make a sauce.

Ingredients

3. Add the diced onions and mushrooms, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes, cooking until the onions on translucent.

4. Turn the heat to medium, adding the kale and covering, allowing it to steam for 8-10 minutes.
5. While the kale is cooking, prepare the pasta according to package directions. I cooked it in the microwave.
6. For the sauce, add all sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor ( I used my ninja) and blend until creamy. You may need to add more lemon juice or olive oil depending on the consistency you desire.
7. Combine the sauce into the noodles. Once the kale is done cooking, combine with the pasta and sauce.

Servings: 8-10
Calories: 155 Carbs: 13 Fat: 11 Protein: 4 Sodium: 93

I have been a little busy this week. I just finished up my semester, dabbled into the world of Rainbow Loom, saw the newest Hobbit movie, and now winding down to go to work again tomorrow. I however, did not forget to capture my food on Wednesday! :)

For breakfast we had Grape-Nuts with bananas, orange peel, and cinnamon.

I was feeling quite under the weather Wednesday, so my husband took me to Panera. I had Broccoli Cheddar Soup (my most favorite!!), Frontega Chicken Sandwich, and Sweet Tea. He had a Ceasar Salad, Asiago Beef Sandwich, and Mountain Dew.

For dinner, I had sushi from Publix! I was so excited to see an alternative to rice, as the rice is way too heavy! The sushi had cucumbers, carrots, tapioca wrap, spicy mayo, and lettuce. It was delicious!!

I made my husband his favorite, Clam Chowder (recipe soon to follow) with Tamarind Soda.

It seems that I have been on an Asian inspired streak these past few weeks. My mom gave me a pack of steamer veggies she had to get rid of and I came up with a quick lunch recipe that's full of veggies and protein!

Ingredients (Per Serving)
1/4 Cup Quinoa
1 Cup of Steamed Veggies ( I used carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower)
1/4 Cup Chicken
Salt & Pepper
Seasoning of Choice (I used Weber's Mango Lime seasoning)
1-2 Tablespoons Kikkoman Less Sodium Teriyaki Sauce

Chicken noodle soup is one of the most heart warming and comforting soups on this planet. Pho is equally warm and comforting in it's own right. This soup is a mix of chicken noodle soup and pho. I tried to come up with a catchy name (i.e. Phospiration, Phosizzle...) but they were all too cheesy!

I first started out with cooking my chicken.

4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Allow chicken to cool and then shred once cooled.

Now for the soup!
Ingredients

1. 16 cups Chicken Stock
2. 2 Teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
3. 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
4. 1/2 Tablespoon Cilantro
5. 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon Garlic
6. Shredded Chicken
7. 2 Carrots, peeled and shredded
8. 1/4 cup Chopped White Onion
9. 2 Cups Sugar Snap Peas
10. 10 Ounces Rice Noodles
11. 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
12. 1 Tablespoon Salt
13. Sriracha

Directions
1. In a soup pot, bring chicken stock to a boil, adding red pepper flakes, black pepper, cilantro, and garlic.
2. Add the shredded chicken, carrots, sugar snap peas, and onion. Then bring to a simmer, simmering for 25 minutes.
3. Add the rice noodles, lime juice, and salt. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Upon serving, top with sriracha and enjoy!

Makes 10 servings
Calories: 156 Carbs: 23 Fat: 1.5 Protein: 13 Sodium: 473 Sugar: 3