Category Archives: Pasta

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Fettuccine Alfredo

February 20, 2011 admin Leave a comment

A dish that many order in a restaurant – but you can do it for so many fewer calories at home…and it tastes great !

5 servings
340 calories

12 oz. FiberGourmet fettuccine (I used their tomato flavored fettuccine)
2 t buttery spread
1 t oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c finely chopped red bell pepper
¼ c sliced green onions
¼ c chopped parsley
1 T flour
12 oz. can fat free evaporated milk
½ t basil flakes
¼ t oregano flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Melt spread and oil in a skillet. Cook garlic on medium high heat for one minute then add pepper, onions, parsley and flour and cook another minute. Gradually add milk and blend and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove skillet from heat, stir basil, oregano salt and pepper and then toss with pasta. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Pasta, Sides, Vegetables

Mushroom and Zucchini Orzo

February 18, 2011 admin Leave a comment

I love side dishes the combine a carb with veggies – it’s one less dish to have to prepare. And this one has orzo, which is one of my most favorite small pastas. It’s a perfect side dish !

4 servings
197 calories per serving

1 c uncooked orzo
Pam
1 c mushrooms, chopped
1 c zucchini, diced
T butter
½ t garlic powder
1/2 t oregano flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat skillet and spray with Pam. Saute mushrooms and zucchini 6-8 minutes. Mix pasta, mushroom mix, butter and spices.

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Pasta

Italian Veggies and Pasta

January 20, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Savory, cheesy, hot baked goodness ! This pasta and veggie dish has just enough spice and everything is right. The mixture of cheeses is awesome and when you add in all the veggies. This becomes a super nutritious, healthy meal.

4 servings
390 calories per serving

8 oz. uncooked FiberGourmet rotini (with regular pasta, add 80 calories per serving)
3 c diced, peeled eggplant
1 c thinly sliced zucchini
1 c chopped green pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
½ t basil flakes
½ t oregano flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
8 oz. spicy tomato sauce
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz. shredded gruyere cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Pam

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, cover and keep warm. In a Dutch oven or large skillet combine eggplant, zucchini, pepper, garlic, seasonings, tomato sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cover and simmer 20 minutes. Spray a 9×13 pan with Pam and spoon in pasta then sprinkle with parm and pour over the veggie mix. Sprinkle with mozzarella and gruyere cheeses. Broil 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Pasta

Tri Color Pepper Pasta

January 13, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This has some of the best flavor you will find in a pasta dish ! The sauteed peppers and onions (much like you add to sausage and peppers) quickly impart their tremendous flavor top the pasta and you end up with a dish that completely satisfies your taste buds.

4 servings
320 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet Penne, Spaghetti, or Fettuccine (without FiberGourmet pasta, you have to add another 80 calories per serving to this)
1 T oil
1 medium onion in thin slices
1 medium orange bell pepper in bite sized strips
1 medium yellow bell pepper in bite sized strips
1 medium green bell pepper in bite sized strips
1/3 c prepared pesto
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t onion powder
½ t garlic powder
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
¼ c shredded parmesan cheese

Cook penne according to package directions. Heat oil and cook onion 2 minutes then add peppers and spices and cook 10-15 minutes or until they are very tender. Add pasta and then remove from heat and stir in pesto. Add salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese.

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Spinach and Mushroom White Lasagna

January 2, 2011 admin Leave a comment

The white sauce in this recipe is so very flavorful ! This is a perfect non traditional lasagna. Without using FiberGourmet lasagna noodles, this one comes in over the 400 calorie mark. Thanks again, FiberGourmet ! I couldn’t do it without you 🙂

6 servings
296 calories per serving

18 uncooked no boil FiberGourmet lasagna noodles
3 c skim milk
½ t oregano flakes
½ t basil flakes
1 t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
½ t salt
1 c chicken broth
3 T cornstarch
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1 lb. frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry in a colander
½ c sliced green onions
4 oz. shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
2 c sliced mushrooms

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pan combine milk and seasonings and bring to a boil. Combine starch and broth and slowly add to milk mix stirring constantly. Cook on medium 5 minutes or until bubbly, stirring constantly then stir in half the parmesan cheese. Spread ½ c sauce in a 13×9 pan and then layer in this way –

Noodles
Spinach
Sauce
A bit of parm
Mozzarella
Noodles
Mushrooms
Spinach
Sauce
A bit of parm
Noodles
Sauce
A dusting of parm

Cover with foil and bake 55 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with last ½ of the mozzarella and let stand 15 minutes.

Chicken, Dinner, FiberGourmet, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Chicken and Pasta Bake

December 21, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is a great ‘all in one’ dish – a casserole that is one part mac and cheese and one part chicken and broccoli – scrumptious !

4 servings
320 calories per serving

1 ½ c small FiberGourmet pasta (rotini, elbows, etc.)
3 c broccoli florets
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
½ c fat free chicken broth
2 oz. low fat cream cheese
1 c low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and cook in a skillet sprayed with Pam 3 -5minutes then stir in broth and simmer 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and reduce heat to low and cook 1 minute to melt cheese then stir in ½ c mozzarella. Cook pasta according to package instructions putting broccoli in the same pot during the last minute of cooking. Combine drained pasta with chicken mix and place in a medium baking dish and bake 15minutes then sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and the parmesan and bake another 3 minutes.

Dinner, Pasta, Product Reviews, Sides

Three Cheese Risotto

December 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Does making risotto scare you? It scares me ! Especially after watching Hell’s Kitchen with Chef Gordon Ramsay screaming at everyone that they can’t get the risotto right 😉

Queue up “Rocky” music….Plentiful Pantry has come to the rescue – and now you can be a winner whenever you make risotto ! Their Three Cheese Risotto mix could not be any easier to prepare. Just add water, simmer, add cheese and you have PERFECT risotto.

It’s creamy, elegant, moist, cheesy, and so very flavorful. I think next time I am going to add some sauted mushrooms in for a beautiful Mushroom Risotto. The box makes 6 servings and it comes out to 140 calories per serving.

I don’t know how they do it, but all of their mixes turn out the most fabulous results. They must have some pretty good test kitchen chefs !! Thanks again, Plentiful Pantry – you made another meal a success.

Lunch, Pasta, Product Reviews

Hawaiian Pasta Salad

December 2, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Looking for something a little different for lunch? Instead of regular old pasta salad, how about some Hawaiian pasta salad? Plentiful Pantry makes it so easy and it is such a refreshing change of pace.

8 servings
180 calories per serving

Their mix basically handles the noodles and the dressing spices – you just add some cooked chicken (I used leftover Thanksgiving turkey and it was great !), pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, onion and avocado. The mixture of noodles (colors and shapes) makes for such a fun salad! And their poppy seed dressing is so special – sweet without being too sweet and just a little tart with the mustard in the dressing and the vinegar bite. Just whisk up the dressing and pout over the fruits, meat and cooked pasta. Chill a bit and presto…LUNCH IS SERVED !

Plentiful Pantry does such a great job of getting you out of the kitchen fast providing mixes that are tasty and easy to put together. I have tried several of their products and I find them all to turn out very good food.

Check out our reviews of other Plentiful Pantry products:

Blondies and Maple Sauce
Key Lime Cheesecake Bars
Roasted Tomato Parmesan Bisque

Pumpkin Cobbler

Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Pasta

Penne with Spinach

November 26, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is a great ‘white pasta’ dish – the ricotta, parmesan, spinach and garlic just work so well together. And when you add in the toasted pine nuts, the flavor meter goes off the charts. You definitely have to try this one !!

2 servings
357 calories per serving

4 oz. whole wheat penne pasta (if you use FiberGourmet pasta, the calories drop by 60 calories per serving !)
6 oz. fresh or frozen spinach
½ c part skim ricotta cheese
2 T shredded parmesan cheese
1 t lemon zest
¼ t kosher salt
½ t pepper
2 T toasted pine nuts

Cook pasta according to package instructions adding frozen spinach to the water the last 2 minutes. If using fresh spinach, put spinach in colander and drain pasta over it. Put pasta in bowl with spinach and stir in cheeses, lemon, salt and pepper. Plate and add pine nut garnish.

Chicken, Dinner, FiberGourmet, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Chicken Parm with Pasta

November 10, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is one of my favorite dishes, but the restaurant version will kill you with calories. This one has been lightened up quite a bit – it comes in at only 324 calories and that includes a generous side of pasta (thanks FiberGourmet!!)

4 servings
324 calories per serving

4 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
Water
1/2 c bread crumbs
¼ c parmesan
½ t garlic powder
½ t oregano flakes
½ t parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam
¼ c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
½ c marinara sauce for chicken (Paul Newman’s is good)
1 ½ c marinara sauce for pasta
2 T parmesan
6 oz. FiberGourmet penne, fettucicine or rotini pasta

Preheat broiler. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with Pam. Mix breadcrumbs with ¼ c parmesan cheese. Mix herbs and spices. Rinse chicken breasts in water and then sprinkle with herb mix before dipping in breadcrumbs to coat. Press crumbs into the chicken so they stick well. Lay chicken in pan and sprinkle with any remaining bread crumbs.

Broil 6 minutes, turn and lightly spray the tops with Pam (so they will brown nicely) and then broil another 6 minutes. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package instructions. Heat 1 ½ c sauce (for pasta) in microwave or on stovetop. When pasta is done, drain, mix with sauce and sprinkle with 2 T parmesan cheese.

Remove chicken from oven and cover with ½ c sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Turn off broiler and turn oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken back in oven 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melty.