Mal and I went on a serious cleaning spree this afternoon. Our house is totally spotless now. I love being able to sit back enjoy the look and feel of a clean home. Don’t you? It’s really the best feeling ever! (Ok, I’m a dork! ;-))
As you can see, I finally cleaned off our dining room table! š
Dinner
For dinner this evening, I tried a new recipe: Pasta Carbonara Light from the cookbook, Secrets of a Skinny Chef.
I’ve always loved pasta carbonara (or any cheesy pasta really), butĀ I never loved how I felt after eating it (i.e. blah and lethargic). This recipe has all of the same flavors, but tastes much lighter. It even tasted a bit healthy with the extra veggies mixed in, but not too healthy. My husband didn’t realize it was a “light” meal! š
As usual, I didn’t follow the recipeĀ exactly. I nixed the basil, used buttermilk instead of half & half, grated asiago instead of Parmesan, and added mushrooms to the recipe. It still turned out well! š
Snack
And, for the record, before cooking dinner, I snacked on a sliced peach.
Now, I really want something sweet. I’m thinking a couple of Effie’s Oatcakes with Barney Butter smeared on top. Mmm! Yep, that sounds delicious.
G’night!
55 Comments
oh this pasta dish looks delish and always a bonus when the hubs does not know it is lite!
there is NOTHING in the world like a clean, decluttered home. In our little apartment, we call that clutter “chatch.” Fiance’s got a lot of Chatch thrown around, I’ll tell ya.
It’s so much easier to relax and breath in a clean, decluttered house! I like how the whole table made it into the photo now that it’s cleared off! š
Can you come clean my house now?? Please?
I have been seeing recipes from that cookbook popping up everywhere and they always look good.
Oh, I wish I had the energy for a cleaning spree.
I love peach season! I eat about 1/day =)
I’m a dork too because the clean house feeling is seriously the best! It is one of the few times that I can finally fully relax, knowing that there isn’t one thing that needs to be done around the house!
Love coming home to a clean house. I just don’t like cleaning it!!!
One of my dad’s all-time favorite dishes! It’s nice to have a healthier version. š
Looks delicious.
Nothing better than a clean house! Enjoy relaxing this evening! Sounds like you guys deserve!
Dinner looks fabulous; I love pasta…or any carb for that matter…
love having a clean house! miss it now that i have a baby! also love carbonara – i have a great recipe on my blog if you want to try it out! http://nutritionbyeve.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/fettuccine-carbonara/
nothing better than a clean house, and relaxing evening! enjoy!
Oh, your dinner looks amazing! I’m thinking any light pasta dish is a-okay in my book! š
I love cleaning sprees. I feel so good after them. Sometimes when everything in my house is clean I really enjoy cleaning the house of the boy I nanny for š
Oh, and that pasta? Yeah, looks absolutely amazing. I must try it this weekend.
A totally clean house is one of the best ever feelings for me. My husband doesn’t really get it, but it does just does something for my mind and soul.
I feel completely the same way when my apartment is clean. It’s such a relief, it makes you want to just sit down, smile, and take it all in! Your pasta dish looks amazing tonight too š
That does look delish. š I’m in the mood for some kinda dessert now too! And, I get whatcha mean about the clean house thing. I love it when the house is clean, hate when it’s dirty, but hate the process of cleaning. Just getting rid of the stuff that needs to be gotten rid of, and finding the perfect zen. (I’m a dork when it comes to cleaning, I love it when the house has zen!) š
Pasta carbonera is a FAVORITE of mine! I too LOVE the feeling of a clean house š
I love making lightened versions of heavy foods. It makes me question why they have to be so bad for you. I am with you on the cleaning. I feel like we have been doing it a lot lately, but it is very satisfying when things are clean!
I was doing just fine, until I read the line about making oatcakes. Now I want to go home and make pancakes and oats and ahh, almond butter… my best friend.
Have a great week!
I like when I go through the cleaning spree also.
I just saw the Effi’s oat cakes at the store today for the first time.
I recently cleaned my whole condo from top to bottom too!! It felt nice and I was able to get rid of quite of bit. Also looking to sell some stuff on ebay!
A good cleaning spree is soul freeing! :–) Dinner looks delish! I’m a sucker for cheesy pasta too.
oooh I too love the feeling of a clean house!!!
pasta carbonara is one of those things i’ve never had but i know i would love….
That pasta looks delicious!! Don’t you just love a clean house?? It makes me so happy!
I have never had “pasta carbonara”. It looks really good. I love peas in pasta too. PASTA is one of my favorite things, espicially with cheese…..chicken and veggies, just like yours tonight. However, after eating low-carb for so many years I have a hard time eating it……even on cheat days. Who knows why!?! I cheat on other things but have a hard time when it comes to pasta, don’t get it???
I’m so with you on the clean house feeling!
I got into a few cleanig sprees lately. First, my closet got a total cleaning..then yesterday my kitchen got a good scrub down! Next up..the living room.
It is a great feeling to have a clean house.
I’m sold on pasta anything. It’s preferable to enjoy a healthy light version, but I’ll totally spurge on a delicious full-fat Italian dish. Congrats on a clean house and a light pasta – anyone’s weekday dream!
I love when Healthy light recipes taste rich and delicious.
Anything with barnet butter is a winner, surely? š That pasta looks fantabulous!
ughhhhhhh you reminded me how i really really need to get on cleaning my house : (
Well, the good news is that authentic carbonara does not contain any cream – that is a Euro/North American modification. In Italy, this was considered a coal miner’s meal (so the story goes) – hence the name carbonara – and basically consists of eggs, bacon (sometimes pancetta, but originally guanciale) and pasta (plus S&P and parm). The cream/slick coating on the pasta comes from cooking the egg in the heat of the drained pasta. Really well-made carbonara is incredibly delicious and I have to say, your version looks pretty darn tasty!
I love having a spotless house! Unfortunately, I don’t think that will EVER happen while we’re living here. We don’t have places for everything!
I cleaned today, too. It’s such an awesome feeling.
oatcakes and barney butter.. mmmm good call!
k people, lets all take a hint and get cleaning hehe <3
even after that awesome bowl of pasta i am now craving a sweet juicy peach. summer’s candy!
I love a clean house š we cleaned just before going to our travels and it was so nice to come home to a clean apartment.
That pasta looks incredible. I love a clean house but HATE cleaning. haha. I can’t be the only one. š
The pasta looks great – fresh veggies tossed in really do cut through the “ugh” feeling that so often results after eating a dinner of heavily-doused pasta. Mushrooms are a great addition!
I’m envious of your clean home! I keep doing the “surface clean” but I really need to buckle down and do the real deal. If you could shoot some of that motivation over this way, that’d be fantastic. š
I loooooove a clean place. But I’m not usually the one who organises it… š
Wei-Wei
Can we get a tour of your new (not so much) apartment?
Thanks.
Real carbonara shouldn’t have any dairy (cream or milk or whatever). Of course any recipe that does is going to make you feel like crap! Try a real carbonara recipe next time: olive oil, pancetta, parmaggiano reggiano, and eggs.
You won’t be disappointed
I’m with you: A clean house can make me so happy. It’s like taking a shower after a long run in hot weather. Ahhh…
Oh man I LOVE Effie’s Oatcakes! So bad for you but so good!