Pasta never gets old to me. But as much as I love it, I also understand that I need to make it healthier from time to time (I’ll never cut pasta out of my diet though, because who wants to cut carbs?). I was craving some creamy pasta, but fettuccine alfredo doesn’t provide much in the way of nutrients. I thought that I could flavor up some cream sauce if I loaded it with veggies—best of both worlds, right? I sautéed some garlic and onions, then added some tomatoes and let them roast in the pan a bit. Finally, I wilted down some spinach, then poured heavy cream over the veggies and let it thicken into a sauce (I added a bit of Parmesan for some more flavor). Finally, I added some chicken sausage to get a good amount of protein in there, but that’s optional. I stirred in some pasta and chowed down; it was delicious.

Ingredients:
4 servings pasta shells (about half a box)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
4 cups fresh spinach
1/4 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio)
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
1 cup cooked sausage (optional), sliced or chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package instructions. In a large pan, add garlic and onions and sauté in a bit of olive oil and butter on low for three minutes. Then, add cherry tomatoes and cook on low an additional three minutes. Add spinach and cook until fully wilted. Add white wine and cook an additional three minutes, then add heavy cream and simmer on low about 10 minutes. (Stir in Parmesan cheese once cream heats up.) add oregano, salt, pepper, and sausage and simmer another 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir in pasta and serve.