Ziti Rigate Alfredo with Shrimp and Broccoli

My new addiction is Pinterest. It is a visual feast.  I love the gardening pictures and the decorating ideas, but most of all I love the food pictures and recipes.  Although, I have to be careful not get to too caught up with exact recipes because there are many items that are very calorie heavy.  I came across a pin the other day for a Shrimp Alfredo dish by Cooking Light, but one ingredient, half and half, caught my eye.  I don't feel like I need to use half and half for an Alfredo sauce.  I've been making a mock Alfredo sauce for years for my daughter who refuses to eat any sort of red sauce.  It is quick, just a little Olivio, 2% milk and Parmesan cheese.  The starch from the pasta helps bind it.  We have gotten so used to the light version that a real Alfredo sauce is just too much. I did like the idea of using a bit light cream cheese though, so I incorporated that in my redo. This recipe was presented with asparagus on the side but I thought it would be a great one dish meal if I added the veggie to the recipe.  I had a head of broccoli in the fridge so that was what I decided to use.

I find that lately I have been trying many new recipes and some are great and some are just so-so.  On the ones that are just so-so I sometimes kick myself.  This is because as I am making it I can feel that something isn't right, but since it is new to me I stick to the recipe.  Big mistake.  I find that using my instincts and the recipe as a general guideline works much better, this is why I remade the Cooking Light recipe.  In my recipe you'll see some approximate amounts, this is because in a dish like this I don't measure out my ingredients I just add them and add a little more if needed.  Do your own thing with it.

Ziti Rigate Alfredo with Shrimp and Broccoli

1 lb. ziti rigate

salt

1 T virgin coconut oil

¼ red onion sliced thin
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 lb. shrimp
1 small head of broccoli, stems sliced, and florets in bite size pieces
1-2 T olive oil

2 T olivio

3 T reduced fat cream cheese
1 ½ - 2 cups reduced fat milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 t chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
 

Cook ziti rigate in salted water as directed on the package.  Meanwhile heat the coconut oil in a wok on medium heat, add the onion and cook for a few minutes.  Raise the heat to medium high and add the shrimp and crushed garlic, stir fry for a minute to regain the heat in the pan and then add the broccoli, add a bit of olive oil as needed.  Set aside when the shrimp is cooked through.
 
Drain the ziti and set aside.  Heat the pan used for the ziti on low and add the olivio, cream cheese, milk and Parmesan. Stir to melt and mix in the cheeses.  Add the parsley, salt and pepper. Then stir in the ziti.  If needed add a bit more milk to desired consistency.  Stir the shrimp and broccoli mixture into the ziti mixture and serve.