I have a confession to make. I am a candle hoarder. You see, I love finding candles in amazing scents and thinking how great they will make my apartment smell. Yet somehow they end up being stashing away for some “special occasion” because I don’t want to waste such an awesome smell on just a regular ol’ day. And what if I cannot find that scent again? The horror! Apparently my own existence in my apartment did not seem like a good enough reason to burn them. And that makes absolutely no sense. So, I have since changed this strange habit of mine because candles are meant to be BURNED. Plus I refuse to box up several large candles whenever I graduate and move this summer.

While I am offering up my habits, I present to you yet another variation of guiltless alfredo. I cannot get enough of it – it’s just so easy to make! And with the absence of heavy cream there’s really no excuse not to make it. This version is made with avocados and results in an amazingly green and creamy sauce. But just so you are ware, it is thicker than traditional sauce due to the avocados. It is also especially delicious when paired with the spicy chicken.

GUILTLESS AVOCADO ALFREDO PASTA WITH SPICY CHICKEN

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 servings of pasta of choice

1 cup arugula (I use spinach because the grocery was out of arugula)

SAUCE

2 large avocados

1-1/2 cups 2% milk

2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan plus 1/4 cup

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

CHICKEN

1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

Pinch cayenne (plus additional as desired)

2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in lightly salted boiling water until almost cooked through (just before al dente). Reserve a cup of the cooking water.
2. In a food processor add the flesh of the avocados, milk, cream cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan, flour and process until smooth. Transfer to a pot over medium high heat. Simmer until warmed, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, plus additional to taste. Add the noodles into the sauce, simmering until noodles have finished cooking, about 3 additional minutes (add reserved cooking water if sauce becomes overly dry and thick).
3. In a bowl stir together the black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder salt and cayenne. Add additional cayenne for a higher level of heat. Add chicken and toss until well coated.
4. Heat olive oil until hot but not smoking in a pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken, flipping once, until cooked through.
5. Plate pasta, top with arugula and then chicken. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Domestic Fits.