Pasta, Risotto, and Rice (4 page)

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), diced

1 cup diced roasted red peppers, plus 2 tablespoons liquid from the jar

3 tablespoons honey

½ cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the cooked pasta, the roasted peppers with the liquid from the jar, and the honey and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 432
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 85g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 6g
Sodium: 241mg

Penne Puttanesca

Serves 4
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Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 minutes

Puttanesca is a classic Italian sauce that blends a variety of incredibly flavorful ingredients, like olives, capers, fresh herbs, and tomatoes. For a spicy version, add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.

12 ounces penne

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-ounce) can petite-diced tomatoes

1 cup pitted oil-cured olives (such as Gaeta), chopped

2 tablespoons drained capers (packed in brine, not salt)

Cook the penne according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until soft. Add the tomatoes, olives, and capers and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Fold in the cooked pasta. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 458
Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 73g
Protein: 14g
Fiber: 5g
Sodium: 963mg

Orzo Casserole with Seared Eggplant

Serves 8
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Prep time: 15 minutes
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Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes

Think of this as eggplant Parmesan nestled into baked pasta. And I sear the eggplant first so that it gets golden brown and caramelized before it’s placed between layers of sauce, cheese, and orzo. The casserole may be assembled in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking.

12 ounces orzo

1½ tablespoons olive oil

1 large or 2 medium eggplant, sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

3½ cups (28 ounces) tomato sauce

15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese

3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the eggplant slices with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the eggplant slices to the hot pan (work in batches to prevent crowding the pan) and cook for 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Pour ½ cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a shallow baking dish. (The dish should be large enough to hold all layers without overflowing, but doesn’t need to be as big as a lasagne dish.) Arrange half of the cooked orzo over the sauce. Top with half of the ricotta cheese. Arrange half of the eggplant slices on top of the ricotta. Top with 1½ cups of the tomato sauce and 1½ cups of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers, using up the remaining orzo, ricotta cheese, eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 426
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 39mg
Carbohydrate: 49g
Protein: 25g
Fiber: 5g
Sodium: 944mg

Pasta Spirals with White Beans, Broccoli, and Parmesan

Serves 4
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Prep time: 5 minutes
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Cooking time: 15 minutes

Combining pasta and beans is a classic Italian combo, and it creates a super-filling, nutritious meal. I like white beans here (Great Northern or cannellini), but you can use pink, red, black, or even black-eyed peas or chickpeas.

12 ounces spiral pasta

4 cups fresh or thawed frozen broccoli florets

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 (15-ounce) can white beans (Great Northern or cannellini), rinsed and drained

⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the broccoli for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine the broth and beans in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Add the cooked pasta and broccoli and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 460
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Carbohydrate: 81g
Protein: 23g
Fiber: 9g
Sodium: 380mg

Ditalini Pasta with Black Beans, Tomatoes, and Cheese

Serves 4
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Prep time: 5 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes

Fresh thyme is a key ingredient here. Dried thyme simply won’t provide the same fresh flavor I want you to experience.

12 ounces ditalini

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green peppers, celery, and onions

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return the pasta to the pan. While the pasta is still warm, stir in the beans, tomatoes, cheese, and thyme and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 475
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 10mg
Carbohydrate: 83g
Protein: 22g
Fiber: 9g
Sodium: 691mg

Spinach Fettuccine with Peas, Butter, and Parmesan

Serves 4
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Prep time: 5 minutes
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Cooking time: 10 minutes

Spinach fettuccine is super-nutritious because it’s made with the colorful green vegetable. It also makes for a great presentation. In this dish, a light butter sauce is accented with bright green peas and Parmesan cheese.

12 ounces spinach fettuccine

1 cup frozen green peas, kept frozen until ready to use

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions, adding the peas for the last 30 seconds of cooking. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine the broth and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, until the butter melts. Add the cooked fettuccine, the peas, and the Parmesan and cook for 1 minute, until the cheese starts to melt (the cheese doesn’t need to melt completely). Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 400
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 34mg
Carbohydrate: 52g
Protein: 16g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 471mg

Fusilli with Pesto, Seared Cherry Tomatoes, and Pine Nuts