Hungry Mom on the Run: No Meat Fridays

Up until Easter many will be observing the Lenten season by abstaining from meat on Fridays. Its our way of relating to Christ during the 40 days and nights before Easter, where Jesus fasted in the desert before His death and ressurection. Growing up this meant a lot of cheese pizza on Friday! That will always be my favorite Lenten meal. In my husband's family it was either cheese pizza or tuna noodle casserole. I liked this combination of Salmon and Alfredo sauce because it felt like a grown up version of "Tuna Noodle."

In other news I hit the 30 week mark this weekend! I'm excited to be in the "home stretch" but I also know how the last 10 weeks seem to creep by so slowly compared to the first 30. If I can continue running through March I will be very happy. So far its not too uncomfortable yet but I'm also expected to grow 1 centimeter and 1 pound per week from here on out... meaning my runs will morph into walks over the next two months! I'm ok with that but would really appreciate some warmer weather come April from Mother Nature!

Thanks to Jen Sanders for the lightened up Alfredo Sauce recipe and therefore the inspiration to put this together! You can also put the sauce with chicken, veggies like broccoli or peas, whatever you want! According to Jen, Chicken and Alfredo is a hit with her little guy.

Salmon with Lightened Up Alfredo Sauce

Rotini pasta (or pasta of your choice!)

1 cup 1% or fat free milk and 1/4 cup whipping cream (or, in Jen's original recipe, 1 cup half and half and 1/2 cup fat free milk - I had no half and half so just made this substitution).

2 tablespoons flour

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley and fresh basil is yummy too if you have it!

salt and pepper

(1 little boy's head, as pictured, is not necessary :) )

For the salmon:
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
chopped basil leaves
squeeze of lemon juice (pictured above)
salt and pepper

Begin by cooking your pasta and preheating the oven to 400. Mix all the ingredients for salmon marinade and top salmon with it. When oven is ready stick the salmon in for 12 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork.

In a bowl whisk flour, milk, whipping cream, and nutmeg.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low. Add garlic and saute for a minute or two. Do not let the butter burn! Pour in the milk mixture and stir gently.

Add in the freshly grated parm

Continue to stir gently as sauce thickens (only takes about 3 minutes or so) and then add parsley, I added some basil too. Just a dash of salt and pepper - the parm is naturally very salty so bear that in mind!