Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 ounces cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese

10 ounces spinach linguine

1 head broccoli, stems peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick, florets cut into bite-size pieces

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

In a 3-quart heavy-bottom saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add ham, and cook, stirring occasionally,until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.

Stir in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is slightly thickened,4 to 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese; cook until melted, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions, adding broccoli during final 3 minutes. Drain; transfer pasta and broccoli to a large bowl. Add cream-cheese sauce and Parmesan, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.