Sundried Tomato Alfredo

I was watching Chopped on the Food Network and felt inspired to create this dish one night. Hey, sometimes you just feel fancy and want to play in the kitchen...that, and you want eat some comfort food. This will satisfy your comfort food palate with some simple substitutions that make it healthier than a standard alfredo.  I think it turned out great- I secretly wanted to lick the bowl clean (welp, thats not a secret anymore lol). My husband, who is not a fan of alfredo-y dishes (made up a word there) actually really enjoyed this- I will be adding it to our meal rotation. Hope you will too!

Yield: 4 servings

Fix Portions: 2 Yellow (1 yellow, 1 yellow substitute), 1 green, 1 blue, 1 red

Ingredients

• ½ box whole grain noodles (I used elbows, but any thicker style noodle will work)
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• ½ jar sundried tomatoes in olive oil, julienne cut
• 2 chicken breasts, diced
• ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• ½ cup mozzerella cheese
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp flour (whole wheat or all-purpose. I usually shy away from white flour but its hardly any here- just works as a thickening agent for the sauce)
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Red pepper flakes (optional and to taste- gives it a little kick)
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions. **Reserve ¼ cup starchy cooking water before draining noodles**
2. Meanwhile, drain and rinse your sundried tomatoes- but save the oil from the jar- you will need it!
3. Spoon 1-2 tbsp of the olive oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes into a skillet.
4. Saute sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, and garlic until tender. Season with black pepper and red pepper flakes (do not add salt or the mushrooms will not brown) and stir in the chopped basil. Remove from pan and cover with foil.
5. Add a little more of the sundried tomato oil to your pan. Dice chicken and season with salt and pepper (and a little garlic or onion powder if you want). Saute chicken until cooked through, then remove from pan and add to bowl with the veggies.
6. In the same skillet, add either more olive oil or 1-2 tbsp unsalted butter. Whisk in flour to create a roux. Add milk to the pan and stir often until the milk bubbles and thickens a bit.
7. Stir in shredded cheeses, using a figure-8 motion until the cheese is dissolved. Taste your sauce and adjust the seasonings as desired (salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, etc.)
8. Add your cooked, drained noodles to your bowl of chicken and veggies. Add a ladel-full of starchy cooking water, then add your sauce (I would add it a ladel-full at a time so you get the right sauce ratio- no one wants swimming noodles). Stir to combine.
9. Use your green 21-day fix container (or measure approx 1 cup of the dish) to portion your meal. Serve with a garnish of parmesan cheese and basil if desired (makes it pretty).