Creamy Spinach and Ham Farfalle

Way back at Easter, I made this awesome ham, purchased on sale of course.  There was tons of extra meat that I decided to freeze.  I pulled out the last of our leftover ham for a quick dinner last night.  Cream sauces are typically a no-no when trying to eat light, but I replaced the heavy cream in this recipe with evaporated fat-free milk for a surprisingly tasty pasta with ham and spinach.  The spinach absorbs a lot of the  sauce so this isn't super saucy, but the spinach tastes divine with the cream.  The ham adds quite a bit of sodium, so you will need to watch your sodium intake the rest of the day.

Here is the recipe for Creamy Spinach and Ham Farfalle:
Ingredients
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp Light Butter
2/3 cup Onions, finely chopped
2 Garlic Clove
12 oz Evaporated Fat Free Milk
1/2 cup Wine White
1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
10 oz Spinach-frozen
1/3 tsp Nutmeg, Ground
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
8 oz Hickory Smoked Ham
7 oz Pasta - Barilla Plus Multigrain Farfalle

Directions:
Boil pasta according to package directions.  Thaw spinach and squeeze dry in a towel or several layers of paper towel to get out excess moisture.  Heat butter and oil over medium low heat.  Saute onions for about 5 minutes or until soft.  Add minced garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes.  Season with Black pepper and then pour in white wine and chicken broth.   Add evaporated milk and bring to a boil, allowing sauce to reduce slightly.  Add spinach and allow sauce to return to a boil for about 3-4 minutes or until spinach is cooked.  Cut ham into matchsticks and cook until heated through.  Stir in cooked pasta and serve.
I think this meal goes great with a raspberry-lemon smoothie--especially in summer.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/4 entire recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories 451

Calories from Fat 141.0

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 15.67g

24%

Saturated Fat 1.44g

7%

Cholesterol 28.75mg

9%

Sodium 1231.9mg

51%

Total Carbohydrate 54.52g

18%

Dietary Fiber 4.93g

19%

Sugars 15.06g

Protein 24.09g

48%

Est. Percent of Calories from:

Fat

30%

Carbs

48%

Protein

21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs.