Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 8 oz. of dry fettuccine and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Once done, drain the pasta in a colander, reserving a little pasta water if you prefer a thinner sauce. Set the fettuccine aside, letting it rest as you prepare the sauce.

In a blender, combine 1 1/4 cups of low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup of 2% milk, 1 oz. of shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 small finely chopped cloves of garlic, 3 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter, and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Blend on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, which should take about 1-2 minutes.

Transfer the blended sauce to a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. Stir continuously as the mixture heats up, bringing it to a gentle simmer. This process should take around 5-7 minutes.

Once the sauce is simmering, add 3 oz. of baby spinach to the pan. Gently stir the spinach into the sauce, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted and turned bright green.

Add the cooked fettuccine to the sauce and lightly toss it to coat the pasta fully. If needed, stir in a bit of the reserved pasta water to achieve your desired sauciness.

Once the pasta is well-coated, remove it from heat. Serve your Cottage Cheese Alfredo hot, topping each portion with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for a hint of spice if you like.