I'll be the first admit it: I love Hamburger Helper, Or, at least I did. I consumed truckloads as a growing boy and was it delicious! Betty Crocker sure knew what she was doing and our gloved friend, "The Helping Hand," didn't make the effort for healthier adolescent eating any better!Now, for that signature creamy Alfredo Sauce, we had to think outside the box some. We tackled the sauce from a gluten and dairy-free approach. The recipe and instructions are as follows.
-1 8 oz package of Tofutti cream cheese.
-A few slices of lactose-free yogurt cheese or your favorite dairy-free/gluten-free substitute cheese - we chose yogurt cheese from Trader Joe's.
1 cup Dairy-Free creamer - We used soy milk creamer but you can also you coconut milk creamer.
1/2 cup dairy free butter - we used Organic Earth Balance.
1 tablespoon of fresh garlic.
Use Sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Now, melt the butter in a medium saucepan then add the cream cheese and mix together well. Tear up the slices of cheese and mix it in with the cream cheese and butter while continuing to stir. Then add the creamer, garlic, and salt and pepper. Once it all is melted and mixed well with a thick consistency take off of the burner. Let the sauce sit for 5 - 10 minutes in order to thicken.
While that mixes, get your pasta and turkey going. We used gluten-free pasta; elbows this time because it was the only pasta in our cabinets. What is splendid about most gluten-free pastas is that the water changes color when the pasta is ready. I always chomp on a few just to double check. Strain and cool off under cold water; you don't want your pasta mushy!
For the turkey, a package of Trader Joe's lean ground turkey (less than $5 normally) does the trick. Dropping it in an oiled frying pan (we chose Trader Joe's Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil), keep the heat the medium. I personally tossed a little black pepper while it cooked to infuse a little bite. As it gets more and more cooked, start breaking it all up into those little bits of meat we all know and love!
Once all three have been completed, mix all the separate elements together: the turkey meat into the pasta, then the sauce and mix thoroughly on low heat. Let the flavors of the turkey and sauce mix together and then into the pasta.
The anticipation of taste, consistency and quality was ever-present. I was nervous about our concoction not living up to the taste of the original. But our recipe, in our opinion, blew it out of the water! Take that Betty Carber!!
