Spaghetti Carbonara with Peas

From EatingWell: January/February 2013

Our healthy spaghetti carbonara recipe is lower in calories and fat than a traditional spaghetti carbonara recipe, plus it boasts 9 more grams of fiber per serving from whole-wheat pasta. For the best flavor, use Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The eggs in the sauce are not fully cooked; if you’re concerned about consuming undercooked eggs, use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs in this spaghetti carbonara recipe.

Makes: 4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Profile

High calcium | High fiber |

View Our Nutrition Guidelines »

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 strips thick-cut bacon
2 large eggs, at room temperature (see Tip)
3/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. About 3 minutes before it is done, stir in peas and garlic.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Scrape the bacon drippings into a large bowl; add eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper and whisk until combined.
Chop the bacon and add to the egg mixture. When the pasta and peas are done, drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the water. Immediately stir the pasta, peas and the 3/4 cup water into the egg mixture, stirring quickly so the eggs don’t scramble. Let stand 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken the sauce. Serve each portion topped with 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese.

Tips & Notes

Tip: To bring eggs to room temperature, either set them out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge them (in the shell) in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 385 calories; 10 g fat ( 4 g sat , 4 g mono ); 111 mg cholesterol; 53 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 10 g fiber; 659 mg sodium; 320 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (33% daily value), Magnesium (28% dv), Calcium (25% dv), Iron & Vitamin C (22% dv), Folate (21% dv), Zinc (20% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 3

Exchanges: 3 1/2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1/2 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat

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