The creamy, buttery, cheesy flavor of Alfredo sauce is always a welcome treat.

For an autumn touch, I added a little pumpkin to the sauce, giving it a subtle seasonal flavor and beautiful color. Fresh tuna cooks in just minutes, making this a quick and satisfying dinner. I used rotini pasta, with its corkscrew shape that’s perfect for catching every bit of the creamy sauce.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Any type of short cut pasta such as penne can be used.

Canned tuna, such as Safe Catch, can be used instead of fresh tuna.

COUNTDOWN:

Place water for pasta on to boil.

Assemble ingredients.

Boil pasta.

Make tuna pumpkin sauce.

Drain pasta and complete recipe.

SHOPPING LIST:

To buy:12 ounces fresh tuna, 1 continer rotini pasta (4 ounces needed), 1 carton light cream, 1 piece Parmesan cheese, 1 can pumpkin, 1 bunch parsley, 1 bag washed, ready-to-eat salad, 1 bottle reduced fat salad dressing

Staples: butter, onion, garlic, salt and black peppercorns

Tuna Pumpkin Alfredo

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

4 ounces rotini pasta (about 2 cups)

12 ounces tuna, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 tablespoon butter

3/4 cup light cream

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided use

1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion

3 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided use

3 cloves crushed garlic

1/4 cup pasta cooking water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 cups washed, ready-to-eat salad

2 tablespoons reduced fat salad dressing

Fill a saucepan 3/4 fill with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water and drain pasta.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet. Add the tuna and cook 30 seconds. Remove to a plate. Add the cream, pumpkin and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Mix well. Add onion, 2 tablespoons parsley, garlic and stir ingredients together. Stir in the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bring to a light simmer. Add the reserved pasta water. Add the cooked pasta and tuna and stir all together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide in half and place on two dinner plates. Divide salad in half and place on the two dinner plates. Drizzle the dressing on top.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 608 calories (44 percent from fat), 29.9 g fat (16.5 g saturated, 8.0 g monounsaturated), 164 mg cholesterol, 58.1 g protein, 62.8 g carbohydrates, 6.9 g fiber, 511 mg sodium.

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