Carbonara Ala Diana

I don’t know about you, but I like to get creative in the kitchen. Creating healthier or lighter alternatives to some of my favorite comfort foods makes sticking to a healthy regime so much easier. It’s a lifestyle, right? Feelings of restriction or having a list of good or bad foods is only going to make this lifestyle unsustainable, that’s not the goal! In order to be successful in creating a healthy lifestyle it is SO SO SO important to make it sustainable, easy and fun.

I’ll be sharing many of my recipes for some of my favorite comfort foods here!

First up on the list is one of my childhood favorites, Pasta Carbonara. Also known as ooy gooy cheesy perfection with chicken and peas. Just yum. I’m getting hungry thinking about it! The original version uses prosciutto in place of chicken, feel free to do so if you’d prefer!

This is a much lighter (not to mention easy) version, perfect for my dairy sensitive friends and gives you all the satisfaction of a carbonara but no need to unbutton your pants because of the food coma you just created! All jokes aside, I just know you’re going to love this!

Ingredients: Serves 2

  • 1 spaghetti squash

  • 8 oz. cooked chicken

  • ½ cup cooked peas

  • 2 slices OR ½ cup dairy free cheese

  • 4 tsp ghee (a lactose free form of butter, made from butter. Available at most grocery stores)

  • 2 tbsp EVOO (I used a black truffle infused EVOO and it was just magical…highly suggest!)

What to do for the “Pasta”

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees

  • Cut the spaghetti squash in half, spoon out the seeds and loose strings (probably not the right word but you catch my drift)

  • Rub the outside with sea salt, black pepper, and a little EVOO

  • Place face down on a pan, fill pan about ¼ inch thick with water

  • Cook for 40-45 minutes

  • When cooled after cooking, spoon into a bowl

What to do for the sauce

  • In a small pan, heat the ghee and EVOO over medium-high heat

  • Add cheese and stir, reduce heat to low. Melt until a sauce like consistency. This only takes about one minute, be sure to not let the cheese burn.

Pulling it all together:

  • Pour the sauce over the spaghetti squash

  • Stir until incorporated and add chicken and peas

Voila! There you have it! Simple as pie…pasta…whatever it’s easy.

P.S. You can easily substitute the spaghetti squash for whole grain pasta, brown rice pasta, chickpea pasta or any other high quality carb source for a slightly heartier version.

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