There is so much cheesy goodness in this side dish – don’t think of it as pasta with a sprinkling of cheese. It is much more pasta with a gooey, yummy cheese sauce.
Parmesan Orzo
4 servings
263 calories per serving
2 T butter
1 c uncooked orzo
1 14.5 oz. can chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a sauce pan and sauté orzo until lightly browned. Add the broth and bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Mix in cheese, basil, salt and pepper.
The lemon and lemon zest are what make this dish so special – it is unexpected paired with pasta but once you taste it, you definitely want more. And in my opinion, orzo is one of the best pastas out there – I love it in side dishes, in soups, in casseroles, any way it is served 🙂
Tomatoes and Orzo
5 servings
202 calories per serving
1 c uncooked orzo
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 T oil
1 T lemon zest
1 T lemon juice
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Cook orzo 9-11 minutes in boiling water. Drain and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
I don’t know where to begin when telling you about this product…should I start with the fact that it tastes identical to regular pasta (unlike many wheat pastas and other alternatives)? Or should I start with the fact that it is has 40% fewer calories than regular pasta? Both are soooo exciting to me ! I cannot live without pasta and 400 calorie meals don’t allow for a whole lot of comforting carbs….well, until now !
I am sooooo happy to have found this product. Now I can have a NORMAL portion size which makes me a much happier person ! This product feeds my half Italian soul 🙂
FiberGourmet is looking to get the product on shelves in local Walmarts – that would be sooooo great ! So please vote with me so you can easily get your pasta fix ! VOTE HERE
Here are some of the facts about pasta from FiberGourmet: * 130 calories per serving, 40% fewer than standard pasta
* 18g fiber per serving – 72% of the Daily Value
* Nutrtition Facts backed by actual laboratory analysis
* Convenient 1/2 lb packages with a 2 year shelf-life
* Kosher certified by the Kof-K
* 40% fewer “net carbs” than standard pasta
* Only 2 WW Points
(standard pasta is 4, whole wheat is 3)
They have penne (great in mac and cheese dishes), cut up alfredo noodles (perfect for soups), rotini (I use these in pasta salads), and more. Any recipe that calls for pasta – substitute FiberGourmet pasta and get way more food for your 400 calories !
You can buy direct on the FiberGourmet site. Or I sometimes get them from Amazon when I am there getting other stuff anyhow. I recommend a sampler pack to get you started.
When you order, tell Ari I sent ya 🙂
Here are a list of some recipes I have made with FiberGourmet pastas. Enjoy !
Ham, alfredo sauce, pasta. They just go together so well. Add in some cheese and sun dried tomatos and you have a smash hit that the whole family will love.
Rotini with Ham
6 servings
289 calories per serving
8 oz. rotini FiberGourmet pasta
16 oz. jar low fat Alfredo Sauce
19 oz. can asparagus spears cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 c sun dried tomatoes (not in oil), rehydrated in warm water
1 c diced cooked ham
1 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese (or a mix of cheddar and Swiss)
Pam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking dish with Pam. Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat alfredo sauce then stir in pasta, asparagus,. sun dried tomatoes and ham. Stir in half the cheese and turn all into the baking dish. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake another 5 minutes.
Thank you, thank you, thank you @ FiberGourmet ! This lasagna comes in at just 325 calories per serving because of your noodles !!! There is just no way to get close to a regular lasagna for under 400 calories – – until now ! The portion size is huge, the meal very, very tasty and I don’t even have to wait for ‘cheat day’.
Authentic Lasagna
6 servings
325 calories per serving
¾ lb. lean ground turkey
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c parsley
28 oz. can diced tomatoes with their juice
14/5 oz. cam stewed tomatoes with their juice and tomatoes chopped up
8 oz. cam tomato sauce
6 oz. can tomato paste
2 t oregano flakes
1 t basil flakes
¼ t pepper
½ t salt
1 t onion powder
½ t garlic powder
2 c no fat cottage cheese
½ c grated parmesan
15 oz. no fat ricotta cheese
12 oz. FiberGourmet Lasagna Noodles (no boil noodles)
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh herbs – basil, parsley
Pam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pan with Pam and cook turkey until almost done – make sure to crumble it as you cook it. Then add garlic and cook another few minutes. Add 2 T parsley, diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder then cook on low heat 45 minutes.
Mix 2 T parsley with the cottage cheese, parmesan and ricotta and stir well. Spread ¾ c tomato sauce in a 13×9 pan. Arrange a layer of noodles over the mix and then top with half the cheese mix, another 2 c of the tomato mix, and 2/3 c of the mozzarella. Repeat layers and then top with a final layer of noodles and put the remaining sauce over the top. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Then sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs
This recipe transforms regular mac and cheese into a Mexican flavored side dish that is great next to a lean piece of chicken or fish.
Chili Cheese Macs
4 servings
290 calories per serving
7.25 oz. boxed Mac and Cheese dinner
1 c canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 c canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Make the mac and cheese according to the package instructions using margarine and skim milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat through.
Add a layer of healthy spinach, use low fat cheese and FiberGourmet pasta and quickly you have a healthy alternative and a fan favorite 🙂
Baked Mac and Cheese
4 servings
366 calories per serving
3 T breadcrumbs
1 t oil
½ t paprika
20 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
1 3/4 c skim milk, divided
3 T flour
2 c shredded low fat extra sharp Cheddar cheese
1 c low fat cottage cheese
1/8 t nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces FiberGourmet penne or elbow pasta
Pam
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 2 quart baking dish with Pam. Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika. Squeeze out spinach in a colander so it is very dry. Mix ¼ c milk with flour. Heat 1 ½ c milk until steaming and them whisk in the rest of the milk and continue whisking until it is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar until melted. Then stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook pasta about 4 minutes (do not cook all the way or it will be too mushy after it bakes). Mix pasta and cheese and place half of it in the baking dish. Then add the spinach and top with the rest of the pasta. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mix and then bake 30 minutes or until golden.
This is a great recipe. It has my favorite pasta, orzo ! Plus is has lotsa healthy veggies and a simple parmesan sauce. I could eat this every day !!
Orzo Primavera
8 servings
120 calories per serving
14.5 oz. can chicken broth
1/3 c water
1 c orzo
2 1/2 c fresh vegetables, diced very small (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, celery, green onions, red peppers )
1/3 c grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring broth and water to a boil then stir in orzo and cover and cook 7 minutes. Add in veggies and cook another 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in cheese, salt and pepper.
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.
