You can taste the pepperoni in each and every bite and it makes this soup just a bit different from the usual minestrone. It’s a welcome change. All the veggies add up to a nice low cal soup that leaves plenty of calorie room open for adding a nice spoon of parmesan cheese

Very Veggie Minestrone

6 servings
206 calories per serving

1 T oil
1/2 c green bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 c beef broth
3 c water
1 1/2 t oregano flakes
1 t thyme flakes
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
2/3 c small pasta
1 lb. frozen mixed soup vegetables (including corn, peas, carrots, celery, onion), thawed and chopped
1 c frozen baby lima beans, thawed
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c diced turkey pepperoni
3 c lightly packed escarole, rinsed and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c chopped basil
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (not in calorie count above)

Heat oil in a soup pot. Saute peppers 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Add broth, water and spices and bring to a boil then add pasta and cook according to package instructions minus 3 minutes. Mix veggies and beans and add to soup and bring back to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, pepperoni, basil and escarole and simmer 3 minutes to wilt escarole. Garnish with cheese.

The layer of pesto mixed with spinach and mushrooms adds an incredible layer of flavor and also bulks up the recipe with more nutrition. This is a FANTASTIC lasagna recipe – lots of cheese, lots of flavor and the perfect comfort food.

Pesto Lasagna (Crock Pot)

8 servings
395 calories per serving

4 c spinach, chopped coarsely
3 T water
2 c sliced mushrooms
1/2 c prepared low fat pesto
3/4 c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
3/4 c shredded provolone cheese
15 oz. fat free ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
25 oz. bottle marinara sauce
8 oz. tomato sauce
Salt and pepper
½ t garlic powder
Pam
9 oz. (12 noodles) no bake lasagna noodles
1/4 c packed basil leaves, chopped

Place spinach in a glass bowl with 3 T water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 3 minutes to wilt. Squeeze it dry in a colander then mix with mushrooms and pesto. Mix mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, ¼ c of parmesan and egg. Mix marinara sauce and tomato sauce with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Spray an oval crock pot with Pam. Place 1 c sauce in the bottom then place 3 noodles on top covering the bottom of the pan. Add 1 c of cheese and 1 c of spinach. Then start the layers again – - add sauce, noodles, then cheese and spinach. Finally end with a layer of noodles and spread the rest of the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with ½ c of parmesan and basil. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours.

In Italian, Puttana means whore. Pasta Puttanesca is supposedly a dish often made by these working girls who had little time to cook. Puttanesca sauce is quick to make, full of a bit of this and a bit of that, and so entirely flavorful ! The bite in puttanesca usually comes from anchovies. In this dish, instead of serving the sauce over pasta, it is used as a condiment for fish. And instead of anchovies, the slight bite comes from the mustard coating on the fish. Super good ! This is actually better a few hours later after the sauce has time for the flavors to mingle.

Tilapia Puttanesca

4 servings
178 calories per serving

4 4 oz. tilapia filets
5 t Dijon mustard
1 T oil
1/2 c chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1/8 c Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1/4 c black olives, chopped
1/4 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley and basil

Brush mustard on fish. Heat oil in a skillet and cook fish 4 minutes per side or until done. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Add onions to skillet and brown for 6 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, dressing, olives, sun dried tomatoes and half of the parsley and basil. Cook 5 minutes then add the fish back to the pan and heat briefly. Serve with puttanesca over fish. Garnish with the remaining parsley and basil.

Cece Beans is just the Italian name for Chick Peas or what the Spanish call Garbanzo Beans – all the same thing They are a great source of fiber, healthy and a great addition to many meals. This dish is somewhere between a soup and a pasta tossed with veggies – I guess it is like a gruel, though that has a negative connotation and there is NOTHING negative about this dish. It’s healthy, filling, has super flavor and is one of the best dishes I’ve made in a while !

Pasta and Cece Beans

6 servings
316 calories per serving

1 T olive oil
1 c chopped onion
2 c sliced leek
1 t rosemary flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 c water
4 c vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t garlic powder
¼ – 1 t red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
14 oz. cece beans, undrained
1 c diced zucchini
1/2 c frozen petite green peas
1/2 c frozen baby lima beans
1/2 c frozen green beans
2/3 c uncooked orzo
2 T chopped parsley
1/4 t pepper
2 T pesto (available in the refrigerated section of your market)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a Dutch oven and cook onion, leak, rosemary and garlic 10 minutes. Add tomato, water, broth, spices, salt and pepper and ceces and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer ½ hour then add zucchini, peas and beans. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Bring back to a boil then stir in pasta and parsley and cook 8 minutes at a low boil. Spoon into bowls and top with 1 t pesto and 1 t parmesan.

This salad uses the artichoke marinade as the main ingredient in the dressing to it’s a snap to throw together. If you have fresh herbs on hand, thrown in a few tablespoons for added flavor. This side dish is perfect next to just about anything.

Italian Rice Salad

6 servings
192 calories per serving

6 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, liquid reserved
2 T lemon juice
1 t minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
3 c cooked white rice, chilled
15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. can pitted black olives, drained
Pam

Mix the artichoke marinade with the lemon juice, 1 t garlic, salt and pepper. Spray a sauté pan with Pam and cook 3 cloves minced garlic for 1 minute or until golden and fragrant. Mix artichokes, rice, tomatoes, garlic and olives and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Sometimes quick sauces are just as good as long simmered ones. This is one of those sauces. It’s full of fresh herbs and makes a great tortellini topper.

Cheesy Tortellini

4 servings
307 calories per serving

9 oz. package fresh tortellini
8 oz. beef broth
14 oz. can diced tomatoes (undrained)
3 oz. tomato paste
1/4 c chopped basil
¼ c chopped parsley
1/2 c shaved fresh Asiago or Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions and then drain. Mix broth, tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook 5 minutes. Add tortellini, salt and pepper and half the cheese. Plate and garnish with the remainder of the cheese.

The earthiness of the spinach and the WOW flavor of the sun dried tomatoes really combine to make this a memorable pasta dish. This is a special one, for sure !

Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes

4 servings
321 calories per serving

1 c chicken broth
12 dehydrated sun dried tomatoes
8 oz. FiberGourmet penne
2 T pine nuts, toasted
1 T oil
1/4t red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
4 c baby spinach, chopped
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

To toast nuts, place in a hot skillet and sauté for a few minutes until toasty brown and aromatic then set them aside. Bring the broth to a boil then add the tomatoes and let soak for 15 minutes to rehydrate them. Keep the broth and remove the tomatoes and chop coarsely. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Heat oil in a skillet and add oil and red pepper and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the spinach, salt and pepper and cook 3 minutes then add the broth and tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Pour broth mix over pasta and sprinkle with ¼ c cheese. Mix well. Plate and top with pine nuts and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

Bobolis make great pizza crusts – top them with just about anything and you have a hit dinner or lunch in 20 minutes flat ! For this one, I’m using a pepper and onion topping, a favorite for my family.

Pepper and Onion Boboli

4 servings
387 calories per serving

1 original Boboli crust
½ c pizza sauce
½ t garlic powder
½ t oregano flakes
Optional red pepper flakes (if you like it spicy)
1 c part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c peppers sliced very thin
1 c onions sliced very thin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spoon sauce onto crust and spread within ½ inch of the edges. Sprinkle with garlic powder and oregano. Add cheese and toppings. Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

This makes a great side dish or a perfect appetizer served with Crostini bread or crackers. Every caponata you find is a little different – there are so many components that it is easy to get different versions. This one uses very little oil and is my absolute favorite. By pre-cooking the eggplant in the oven, you use much less oil and you won’t even miss it ! It has all my favorite things and has a great depth of flavor.

Eggplant Caponata

6 servings
149 calories per serving

1 large eggplant, trimmed, but not peeled and then cut into 1 inch cubes
½ t salt
2 t oil
2 c chopped celery
¼ c celery leaves, chopped
1 c chopped onions
½ c water
2 t minced garlic
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (including the juice)
2 T tomato paste
20 small black olives, chopped (you can use green if you prefer)
2 T white wine vinegar
1 t unsweetened cocoa
½ t black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
¼ c chopped basil
¼ c toasted pine nuts
2 t oil
Pam

To toast pine nuts, sauté in a hot, dry skillet for a few moments – until golden and aromatic. Place eggplant cubes in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with ½ t salt. Mix well so that all eggplant is salted. Then place a small plate or bowl on top of the eggplant and weight it by placed a canned product or some other heavy object. The salt and the weight will draw some of the bitter liquid from the eggplant and you will end up with a much sweeter tasting caponata. Let sit for an hour then rinse eggplant and pat dry. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with Pam, and place eggplant on sheet in a single layer. Cook for 20 minutes then remove from oven and set aside.

Heat a skillet and add 2 t of oil. Also spray with a bit of pan and then sauté onions and celery on medium high heat until partially softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté a minute longer. Add ½ c water and continue cooking another 10 minutes. If the mix gets dry, add up to ¼ c more water to keep it moist. Add tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste and olives and cook on medium for 10 minutes until sauce thickens a bit. Add eggplant, vinegar, salt, pepper and cocoa and cook on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in toasted nuts and 2 t oil. Serve room temperature or chilled.

This quick cream sauce can be used on just about any pasta dish – added to the flavored fettuccine from FiberGourmet and topped with sauted shrimp – mmmm, mmmmm good !

Fettuccine and Shrimp

4 servings
346 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet Fettucine (without it you have to add 80 calories per serving) – I used a pepper flavored pasta and it was so awesomely spicy
2 T butter
½ c thinly sliced shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 lb. cleaned, peeled shrimp
½ t red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c fat free half and half
1/3 c chopped parsley
1/3 c thinly sliced basil leaves

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Melt butter and sauté shallots 4 minutes then add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add shrimp to skillet and sprinkle with spices and cook until shrimp is just about done. Add tomatoes , parsley and basil and cook another minute. Then add half and half and keep warm on low temperature. Pour over pasta and serve immediately.