Recipes are great, but not always a well balanced meal. I am going to take recipes I find and put together meals (maybe some healthy twists added).
MAIN DISH
Stuffed Shells (adapted from 101cookbooks.com)
MAIN DISH
Stuffed Shells (adapted from 101cookbooks.com)
Filling:
1 15-ounce container low-fat ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
1 cup / ~5 oz grated low-fat mozzarella
1 bunch of chives, minced
1 cup frozen spinach (thawed) *optional
25-30 jumbo dried whole grain pasta shells
Sauce: Choose any tomato sauce (preferably made from tomatoes!)
Serves 5-7
Oil a 13 x 9-inch / 33 x 23-cm baking pan, or equivalent, and sprinkle the zest of 1/2 the lemon across it. Set aside. Get a big pot of water boiling, and preheat your oven to 350F / 180C with a rack in the middle.
To make the filling, combine the ricotta, egg, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until combined, then stir in the mozzarella, remaining lemon zest, and 3/4 of the chives. Set aside.
Cook the shells according to package instructions in well-salted water - until al dente. If you overcook, the shells will tear as you attempt to fill them. Drain and let cool long enough to handle with your hands - see photo.
Spread 1/3 of sauce across the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill each shell with ricotta, and arrange in a single layer in the pan. Ladle the remaining sauce over the shells, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover for the final 15 minutes or until the shells are cooked through. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve hot.
Prep time: 30 min - Cook time: 45 min
VEGETABLE SIDE
Zucchini Boats (from ProudItalianCook.blogspot.com)
1 15-ounce container low-fat ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
1 cup / ~5 oz grated low-fat mozzarella
1 bunch of chives, minced
1 cup frozen spinach (thawed) *optional
25-30 jumbo dried whole grain pasta shells
Sauce: Choose any tomato sauce (preferably made from tomatoes!)
Serves 5-7
Oil a 13 x 9-inch / 33 x 23-cm baking pan, or equivalent, and sprinkle the zest of 1/2 the lemon across it. Set aside. Get a big pot of water boiling, and preheat your oven to 350F / 180C with a rack in the middle.
To make the filling, combine the ricotta, egg, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until combined, then stir in the mozzarella, remaining lemon zest, and 3/4 of the chives. Set aside.
Cook the shells according to package instructions in well-salted water - until al dente. If you overcook, the shells will tear as you attempt to fill them. Drain and let cool long enough to handle with your hands - see photo.
Spread 1/3 of sauce across the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill each shell with ricotta, and arrange in a single layer in the pan. Ladle the remaining sauce over the shells, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncover for the final 15 minutes or until the shells are cooked through. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve hot.
Prep time: 30 min - Cook time: 45 min
VEGETABLE SIDE
Zucchini Boats (from ProudItalianCook.blogspot.com)
Cut a zucchini in slices lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick. Brush the surface with a mixture of crushed garlic, olive oil, and pepper.
Arrange tomato slices onto the zucchini like raisins on "ants on a log," sprinkle with bread crumbs(optional).
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Remove and place diced fontina or low-fat mozzarella over the entire zucchini, place them back in, but now under the broiler til golden and bubbling!
Remove and sprinkling with grated Parmesan. Perfecto!
Nutrition Balance:
Dairy - cheese
Vegetable - side dish (& spinach if you added it)
Whole grain - pasta
Protein - cheese
Arrange tomato slices onto the zucchini like raisins on "ants on a log," sprinkle with bread crumbs(optional).
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Remove and place diced fontina or low-fat mozzarella over the entire zucchini, place them back in, but now under the broiler til golden and bubbling!
Remove and sprinkling with grated Parmesan. Perfecto!
Nutrition Balance:
Dairy - cheese
Vegetable - side dish (& spinach if you added it)
Whole grain - pasta
Protein - cheese
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