Pasta, Risotto, and Rice (8 page)

Spaghetti with Olives and Feta

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

Gaeta olives are small, black Italian olives that are either brine-cured (dark purple and smooth-skinned like kalamata olives) or dry-cured (black and wrinkled). I like the dry-cured in this dish because they add a bit of sweetness that pairs perfectly with the salty feta cheese.

12 ounces spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

½ cup pitted dry-cured olives (such as Gaeta)

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain and return the spaghetti to the pan. While the spaghetti is still warm, stir in the oil, parsley, olives, feta, and oregano and mix well to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 497
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 17mg
Carbohydrate: 68g
Protein: 14g
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 756mg

Cheese Tortellini with Wild Mushroom Gravy

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

There are so many wild mushroom varieties at the grocery store these days that it’s hard to make a choice. I either grab a selection (if I can select the quantity I want) or I buy two varieties that are pre-weighed (8 ounces of each). You’ll probably find cremini, shiitake, beech, oyster, and portobello mushrooms, so choose what you want (or what you want to try for the first time!).

12 ounces cheese tortellini

1 tablespoon garlic-flavored olive oil

1 pound fresh wild mushrooms, any variety and/or combination, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 (15-ounce) can tomato puree

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

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms soften and release their juice. Add the thyme and cook for 1 minute, until the thyme is fragrant. Add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked tortellini and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 436
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 63mg
Carbohydrate: 62g
Protein: 19g
Fiber: 9g
Sodium: 943mg

Easy Cheesy Lasagne

Serves 8
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Prep time: 20 minutes
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Cooking time: 40 minutes

This might be the world’s easiest and fastest lasagne recipe (by the way, lasagna is the spelling for the noodles and lasagne is the spelling for the baked dish). Feel free to add fresh herbs, cooked ground turkey breast, or frozen chopped spinach (well drained) to the cheese mixture if you want. And choose your favorite pasta or pizza sauce for between the layers and on top. And if you’re planning ahead, the lasagne may be assembled in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking.

15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3½ cups pasta sauce

8 ounces no-boil lasagna noodles (12 pieces)

4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 pound)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Combine the ricotta cheese and egg in a large bowl, mixing well.

Spoon ½ cup of the pasta sauce into the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish, covering the bottom of the pan. Top the sauce with 3 lasagna noodles (the noodles don’t need to touch each other or the sides of the pan because they expand when baked). Top the noodles with ⅔ cup of the ricotta mixture, spreading the mixture out evenly over the noodles. Top with ¾ cup of the sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat these steps 2 more times (noodles, ricotta mixture, sauce, mozzarella), ending with the noodles on top. Pour the remaining 1¼ cups of the sauce over the top and top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes, until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 390
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 74mg
Carbohydrate: 26g
Protein: 28g
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 715mg

Baked Ziti

Serves 6
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Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
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Cooking time: 35 minutes

This is a classic dish made faster with just five ingredients and lighter with part-skim ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. If you want to add meat to the sauce, add 8 ounces of ground turkey breast or extra-lean ground beef.

12 ounces ziti

15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 teaspoons garlic and herb seasoning (preferably salt-free)

2½ cups pasta sauce

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Cook the ziti according to the package directions. Drain.

Combine the ricotta cheese, 1½ cups of the mozzarella cheese, and the seasoning and mix well. Spoon ½ cup of the pasta sauce into the bottom of a baking dish. Top with one-third of the cooked ziti and half of the ricotta mixture. Pour over ½ cup of the pasta sauce. Repeat the layers (another one-third of the pasta, the remaining ricotta mixture, and ½ cup sauce). Top with the remaining pasta, the remaining 1 cup of sauce, and the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 449
Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 42mg
Carbohydrate: 55g
Protein: 28g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 616mg

Pasta with Blue Cheese and Basil

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

You can use any blue cheese variety for this dish, and a little goes a long way. I like to buffer the strong blue cheese flavor with cottage cheese to create a creamy sauce that’s perfect for pasta without being too strong.

12 ounces penne or spiral pasta

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return the pasta to the pan. Add the cottage cheese and oil and set the pan over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the blue cheese and basil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 475
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 28mg
Carbohydrate: 66g
Protein: 29g
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 620mg

Penne with Plum Tomatoes and Bocconcini