The dish pleased her picky little palate and was officially dubbed Bella Pasta, a nod to her nickname and her love of any noodle. So when this recipe for Penne With Smoked Turkey Sausage crossed my desk, I was eager for her to taste it and give me her verdict.

I'm happy to report that, at age 11, she liked the slightly grown-up pasta dish, noting it was so very like her namesake dish.

OK, so she probably didn't figure out we had stuck in a whole-grain and fiber pasta instead of a traditional durum wheat version. Or that the tasty smoked turkey sausage had less saturated fat and sodium than ham, plus more protein than if we had substituted beef or pork sausage.

Or that instead of feta, a saucy combination of reduced-fat chicken broth and a few tablespoons of low-fat whipped cream cheese were the new, lower-sodium stand-ins.

As long as she still gobbles it up, I figure I'm doing my job as a mother and as a food editor.

Shopping tips: This recipe was tested with Heartland Pasta whole-grain-and-fiber penne. The product has the taste and texture of traditional pasta, but it's also a good source of whole grain and fiber.

Low-fat cream cheese has no more than 16.5 percent milk. When whipped, any cream cheese has fewer calories than regular because it has had air whipped into it.

PENNE WITH SMOKED TURKEY SAUSAGE

2 cups whole-grain and fiber penne

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

7 ounces turkey smoked sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch pieces, each piece quartered

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons low-fat whipped tub cream cheese

1 cup frozen green peas

1/4-cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain and set aside.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray coating. Cook onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Add smoked sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until nicely browned, about 3 minutes.

Add chicken broth and wine. Bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced by about one half, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until well-blended. Add peas and cook 3 minutes. Stir in pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 293 calories (29 percent from fat), 9 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 27 milligrams cholesterol, 33 grams carbohydrates, 20 grams protein, 546 milligrams sodium, 6 grams dietary fiber.

Recipe developed by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.

Jill Wendholt Silva is an award-winning food journalist and editor for the Kansas City Star. She is the author of the cookbook "Eating for Life" ($24.95, Kansas City Star Co.), featuring 100 recipes from her weekly column. Contact her at jsilva@kcstar.com.