New Pasta Recipe (again!), 7.5 Miles, Reasons Why I love My Mom

Happy Thursday! Today has been SO much better than the last three days - thank GAH! I slept great last night, was able to sleep in later than usual and just woke up feeling so much more optimistic and energy-filled - FABULOUS. I had a light breakfast, got to work, and then had a new recipe for lunch - i'm on a roll!

Linguine Alfredo with Chicken and Bacon
Makes 4 Servings - one serving pictured below!
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

8 oz. linguine, reserve ¼ cup cooking water
3 slices turkey bacon, cooked in microwave and diced
12 oz. chicken, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk
2/3 cup Kraft parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve ¼ cup cooking water. While pasta cooks, set a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add flour over garlic; cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Slowly add milk; stirring constantly; cook 1-2 minutes, or until slightly thick. Gradually add cheese, and stir in salt, nutmeg and cooking liquid. DON’T let it get too thick, keep stirring. Add hot pasta to pan and toss well to combine. Add bacon, chicken and parsley.

Nutritional Information: 420 calories, 47 carbs, 9 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: LOVE. Alfredo was one of those things I figured i'd just never eat again - just SO fatty with all of the cream and butter. BUT this recipe is a good replication, just be VERY careful to not let it get too thick (I did - this is why I added notes above about stirring, turning down to low, etc. ) You may want to reserve a bit more cooking liquid just in case. I know this wouldn't happen with fresh cheese, but I like the jarred kind! Anywho, great filling recipe, and the addition of bacon was a fun surprise.

I took my lunch break to walk 4 miles. Then I worked more, and after work headed back to the gym for a run - i'm really trying to get this 10K training going! I've done 5 3.5-mile straight runs in a row, so today was a 3-mile run (with a 1/4 mile walk on front and back)... then Saturday I try my longest run every: 4 miles. I'm loving this one step back/two steps forward approach - it's really going well!

One thing i've been wanting to do more of is reflect on the positive. I feel like sometimes I can get so bogged down with what I need to do, where I need to be, what I need to buy, that I worry I'm not focused enough on all of the good things in my life! So, I want to recognize and remind myself of this with "Three Reasons Why I Love _____." Today, I'm going with Three Reasons why I love... my mom. (this will be part 1 of many i'm sure as there's tons of reasons I love my madre!)

1. She posts stuff like this on her blog.

2. She has a blog.

3. She's pretty. hehe (come on, it's fun to be shallow sometimes)

THE END :)

Q: Who or what would be in your "3 Reasons Why I Love" today? Now that i'm in the mood I can think of so many things, people, places to give shout outs too - very exciting!!

Q: Do you like alfredo sauce? If so, do you have a low-cal one you love, do you roll with the fantabulous full-fat variation or do you just abstain as I had done?!