Many of us tend to associate Carbonara sauce with the words “fattening” or “cheat meal”, but this comforting recipe is perfectly healthy and can be ideal for a pre-workout meal, as long as you keep your portion in check that is.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 small piece of pancetta, cut in small cubes (you can use the lean part only)
- 10-15 Shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cup of skim milk (or milk alternative: soy, almond…)
- 1-2 tbsp.whole wheat flour
- salt & pepper
- minced parsley
- a little bit of water
- a little grated parmesan (optional)
Preparation
- Put olive oil in hot pan and add onions, cook for about 2-3 min. on medium heat
- Once onions are translucent, add pancetta cubes and sliced garlic cloves for another 3-4 min
- Add Shiitake mushrooms to the mix (you might need to add a little water if it gets too dry)
- Spice to taste (salt, pepper…)
- Add 1-2 tbsp of flour to 1 cup of milk and dissolve
- Add the milk and flour mix to pan and let it cook for about 10 additional minutes on low heat
- Serve with whole wheat pasta or spaghetti
- Top with minced parsley and a little bit of parmesan cheese
- wait for 2 hours, and hit the gym (optional but recommended!)
Yum 
November 18, 2011 at 3:31 am
Im going to give this recipe a go! Here in Australia we have a really light, low-fat creamy alternative called ‘Carnation Light & Creamy’ which I usually use for “creamy” dishes and thicken with cornflour. But this looks yum and I love the shiitake mushrooms!
November 18, 2011 at 7:18 am
That sounds good too!
Enjoy you Carbonara
November 17, 2011 at 2:09 pm
I look forward to giving this a try! Being Italian, I’m always looking for some healthier options to my traditional favorites. Thanks for the recipe!
November 17, 2011 at 7:55 pm
I know what you mean Laura, I am also part Italian and live in Croatia. Let me tell you that it’s not much diferent over here… People make fun of me when I snack on fruit (instead of pastry), hahaha