Tag Archives: marinara

Basil Garlic Marinara Sauce (Crock Pot)

I am very passionate about my sauce ! My Italian Grandma and Mom taught me well 🙂 I have been making my own since I was 16 and over the years developed a recipe that is LOVED and CRAVED by many. That recipe included cooking sausage and meatballs in the sauce – and that gives it a very rich flavor. But it also adds calories. So in my quest to keep things lower cal, I’ve been trying a few batches of sauce without meat and this one is really, really good. It comes quite close to my regular recipe !

I’ve added beef bouillon to make up for some of the lost flavor from the meat, I’ve added roasted garlic which gives a great depth of flavor (much different than dropping in raw or sautéed garlic) and I make sure to use tomato paste. Tomato paste is to tomatoes what lemonade concentrate is to lemonade – – it is highly concentrated and adds a different flavor than any other tomato product out there. And finally I add 2 secret ingredients – shhhhhhh ! Fennel and anise seeds add the flavor you would get if you cooked sausage in the sauce. It is the finishing touch that so many sauces are missing. You only get the slightest hint of taste of the seeds in the finished product. But let me tell you, without them, the sauce is just not the same.

If you’ve never tried sauce before – try !! This one starts from canned products, not raw tomatoes – so it is NOT labor intensive. And even a bad batch of homemade is better than a jar of Ragu 😉 It’s what makes a pasta meal special, so do it up !

Basil Garlic Marinara Sauce
Basil Garlic Marinara Sauce

12 servings
58 calories per serving

8 cloves roasted garlic, minced
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
¾ c water
1 T oil
2 t basil flakes
6 basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1 t oregano flakes
½ t red pepper flakes
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
½ t whole anise seeds
1 t whole fennel seeds
2 packets or 2 cubes beef bouillon
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients in a crock pot, cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.

You can also put this in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes or simmer stove top for 2-3 hours.

The length of time does make a different – the sauce tastes much richer when simmered for hours than a quick sauce (which have their place in some recipes, but don’t equal a traditional slowly simmered sauce).


Freeze your extra portions and next time it’s pasta night, just defrost in the frig over night and quickly reheat in a sauce pan.

Let me know how you like it ! 🙂

Greek Pastitsio

Authentic, delicious, Greek pasta dish – easy to make and a great meal for entertaining or for every day !

Greek Pastitsio
Greek Pastitsio

8 servings
370 calories per serving

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
24 oz. marinara sauce
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T butter
1 1/2 c skim milk
1 c strained plain Greek yogurt
1/4 t nutmeg
2 c FiberGourmet elbow macaroni, cooked
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown onions in a skillet sprayed with Pam. Add turkey and brown. Drain. Add sauce and vinegar and cook for 15 minutes. Melt butter and add milk. Bring to a boil on medium heat stirring constantly then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt and nutmeg. Add macaroni, salt and pepper and stir. Spread meat sauce into a 13×9 baking dish and top with macaroni. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 50 minutes.

Pesto Lasagna (Crock Pot)

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)
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.

Chicken Parm with Pasta

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!!)

Chicken Parm with Pasta
Chicken Parm with Pasta

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.

Mushroom and Pepper Pizza

Lotsa different toppings can go on here to change it up. Anything that goes on a real pizza tastes good here. Extra veggies really don’t push up the calorie count much…mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, etc.

Mushroom and Pepper Pizza
Mushroom and Pepper Pizza

4 servings
235 calories per serving

4 6-inch whole wheat pitas (Arnold’s Sahara are a good low cal choice)
3/4 cup marinara sauce
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t oregano flakes
1 c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
½ green bell pepper in thin slices
½ c mushroom slices
1/2 T olive oil mixed with 1 t water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush oil on the pitas. Spread with sauce and sprinkle with oregano, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle cheese over the tops. Add mushrooms and peppers. Cook for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

I like it extra spicy, so I also add some red pepper flakes right on top of the sauce.

Eggplant Parmesan

This makes a nice crispy eggplant parm that is tasty and satisfying. You can always substitute regular breadcrumbs, but I think this comes out better with the panko breadcrumbs.

Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Parmesan

4 servings
355 calories per serving

1/4 c skim milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
1/2 t salt
1/2 t parsley flakes
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t oregano flakes
1/4 t pepper
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
Pam
1 T oil
24 oz. marinara sauce
½ c shredded mozzarella cheese
½ c shredded or grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine milk and eggs in a bowl. In another bowl combine breadcrumbs, salt, parsley, garlic, oregano and pepper. Dip eggplant slices into the egg mix, then into the breadcrumbs to coat. Press down on the crumbs to make sure they stick well. Spray a baking sheet with Pam and place the eggplant slices on it, drizzle with half the oil and bake for 15 minutes. Turn slices over and drizzle with the rest of the oil and bake another 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Place 1/2 c sauce in an 11×7 baking dish and place half the eggplant slices in the pan and then spoon 1 cup sauce over. Sprinkle with ½ of each of the cheeses and then repeat the layer. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Meatball Parmesan in a Pita

I like my meatballs very spicy, so I add a good amount of red pepper flakes to this one. Prep time is 5 minutes – that’s it !

Meatball Parmesan in a Pita
Meatball Parmesan in a Pita

1 serving
365 calories per serving

1 whole wheat pita (140 calorie version)
3 vegetable meatballs
1 T shredded parmesan cheese (shredded, not grated)
3 T marinara sauce
Spices to taste: pepper, oregano flakes, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder

Slit open the pita. Slice meatballs in thirds and heat meatballs, spices and sauce for 30 seconds in the microwave. Fill the pita with the meatballs, sauce and cheese.

Pita Pepperoni Pizza

Lotsa different toppings can go on here to change it up. Anything that goes on a real pizza tastes good here. Extra veggies really don’t push up the calorie count much…mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, etc.

Pita Pepperoni Pizza

4 servings
285 calories per serving

4 6-inch whole wheat pitas (Arnold’s Sahara are a good low cal choice)
3/4 cup marinara sauce
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t oregano flakes
1 c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
16 slices turkey pepperoni
1/2 T olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush oil on the pitas. Spread with sauce and sprinkle with oregano, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle cheese over the tops. Add pepperoni slices. Cook for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

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