Flavorful White Sauce – Low Fat, Low Sodium!

Often I need a main dish and have little to work with in my pantry.  Noodles of any type with a white sauce are so good when made to be flavorful. White sauce sounds bland and boring. It can be!  The sauce I love to make has flavor, little fat, and little salt. Yet with the right spices it tastes rich and satisfying. The next time you need a cream sauce try this recipe.  Now don’t say you don’t like spinach! There is very little spinach in this sauce but just enough to add color and a hint of texture.  This is delicious on pasta, as a cream to vegetables, or with mushroom-filled ravioli! Just give it a try, you won’t be disappointed!

For 3 cups sauce:

1 ½ cup fat-free half & half

1 ½ cup fat-free, low sodium vegetable stock

1 clove of garlic, well smashed, not minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup finely minced, fresh spinach

1+ tablespoon cornstarch

Heat olive oil on medium in saucepan.  Add garlic and cook 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add stock and half & half. Heat thoroughly, stirring frequently.  Add spices. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until sauce begins to simmer. Whisking constantly slowly add cornstarch a bit at a time until all is incorporated.  Continue whisking on-medium-high heat until sauce is desired thickness. This will take a bit.  If in a hurry you can add an additional ½ tablespoon cornstarch.