Farfalle in a Healthy Tomato Cream Sauce

     I've expressed my love for rosa sauce before, along with the easiest way to make it by simply combining store-bought marinara and alfredo sauce, but I've still been looking for a way to make it a little healthier. Finally, I found my answer in one of my favorite healthy substitution ingredients: Greek yogurt. Lately, it seems to be the answer to all of my kitchen dilemmas. So today's recipe is a slight variation on and an update to the old one mentioned above. It's full of flavor, and fresh veggies, making it a great summer alternative to heavier pasta sauces.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 4 servings)
4 servings of farfalle pasta
3 small boneless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch of thin asparagus, cut into thirds
1/2 small onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
about 1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 6oz container plain Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup parmesan
salt, pepper, and olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare all the vegetables and then chop the chicken into pieces.

2. Boil the pasta according to the directions.

3. Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a very large frying pan, cook the chicken over medium heat for a few minutes until it's pretty much done, then add the onion and cook until tender.

4. Add the asparagus, cook it for about 3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and garlic last. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. The hint of heat really makes it interesting.

5. Lower the flame a little and add the yogurt and marinara sauce. Stir it well, aiming for a light orange color. Then, stir in the parmesan.

6. Drain the pasta and add it to the frying pan. Carefully fold it until it gets evenly coated with sauce. Now it's ready to serve!

     I served this with a warm slice of homemade focaccia bread. Check that out if you missed it, it's actually pretty simple! Enjoy, and come back tomorrow to see how today's experiment turns out!