Linguine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce

People who swear off carbs are crazy. :)

It's a well-known fact... I love pasta. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm secretly Italian, nevermind what my family tree actually says, haha. So the thought of giving up pasta to lose weight... well, that's beyond unimaginable. Not to be dramatic, but if being skinny means giving up pasta, I don't want to be skinny. Lucky for me, it seems that Ellie Krieger agrees. There are 15 different pasta recipes in her book! ...it probably doesn't surprise anyone that the two recipes I've tried so far have both been out of this category. :)

The sauce for this recipe is simply delightful. It's amazing how creamy it is considering that it doesn't actually contain any cream! The roasted red pepper flavor just sings, and the feta is a surprising accent. As a dedicated omnivore I wondered if I'd miss having meat on my plate, but I added a little spinach to for an extra dose of veggies and found that the portion of pasta was more than enough. I'm definitely looking forward to making this again!

Linguine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce
adapted from The Food You Crave, by Ellie Krieger
yields 6 servings, 445 calories each

Ingredients
1 16-oz box whole wheat linguine or fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 16-oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup (6 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian mixed seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley for garnish, if desired

Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to pasta directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and drain.
2. Heat the oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring a few times, until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the roasted red peppers and cook, stirring a few times, until heated through. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Transfer the red pepper mixture to a food processor, add the broth and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta. Process until combined and smooth. ***This can also be accomplished using an immersion blender, which is what I did. A food processor might yield a more creamy sauce with fewer little flakes, but the immersion blender did a fine job.
4. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the pasta water by the tablespoon if needed (the sauce should cling nicely to the pasta). Season with salt and pepper. Divide among 6 pasta bowls, sprinkle with reserved feta and parsley (if using) and serve.