Spaghetti Carbonara with Broccoli & Bacon

This weekend was relaxing, to say the least. Saturday was spent mostly inside trying to avoid the downpour that was happening. We watched a lot of the French Open tennis finals. Sunday was a bit nicer so we took a walk down to the waterfront and checked out the less-crazy-than-Saturday, Sunday farmer's market. In all my years living in Halifax, I had never been inside the farmer's market before. It was quite embarrassing to admit. We had plans to go there on Saturday, but since it was so messy we postponed it to Sunday. Next weekend I'll get to experience the full-force Saturday farmer's market!

Oh yeah, and another thing we did this weekend was make food. Lots of food.

 Because of the poor weather, we didn't have a lot to do, so obviously I immediately resort to baking as a way to occupy my time. I spent a good portion of the day poring over recipes I wanted to make and ingredients I would need. The boyfriend and I got a lot of baking/cooking accomplished, so I have lots of posts in store for this weekend.

One of them is this recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara. It's a WeightWatchers recipe but it's just the kind of pasta recipe I love. Plus it makes quite a bit, which is always a plus when you are trying to make meals on a budget (student living...gotta love it, right?). It is quick, easy, healthy, and tastes delicious...what more could you ask for?

Last Month: Basil Butter Garlic Bread

Spaghetti Carbonara with Broccoli & Bacon
Prep Time: 20mins       Yields 4 servings              (WW: 9pts per servings)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
3/4 cup low-fat (1%) milk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups spaghetti, cooked
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:
1) In a medium bowl, mix together broccoli, milk, parmesan cheese, egg, and egg substitute. Set aside.
2) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook, stirring continuously until the garlic becomes lightly golden. Add the bacon and continue cooking until bacon is crisp, about 4 minutes.
3) Add white wine and cook until it is almost evaporated. Reduce heat to medium-low.
4) Add spaghetti and broccoli mixture to the skillet. Cook, tossing constantly, until the mixture is creamy (about 3-5 minutes).
5) Remove skillet from heat, sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Toss to mix well. Serve hot.



(Recipe adapted from WeightWatchers One Pot Cookbook)