Tag Archives: Pasta

Chicken and Pasta Bake

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

Chicken and Pasta Bake
Chicken and Pasta Bake

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.

Hawaiian Pasta Salad

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.

Hawaiian Pasta Salad
Hawaiian Pasta Salad

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 !

Hawaiian Pasta Salad
Hawaiian Pasta Salad

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

Penne with Spinach

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 !!

Penne with Spinach
Penne with Spinach

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 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.

Shrimp and Pasta Salad

This is great as a dinner or lunch – very filling, very tasty, and just the perfect portion.

Shrimp and Pasta Salad
Shrimp and Pasta Salad

4 servings
335 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet Rotini Pasta (without FiberGourmet, add 80 calories per serving)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 yellow squash, thinly sliced
1/3 c coarsely chopped kalamata olives
4 c baby spinach leaves
1 t grated lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
2 T oil
1 lb. peeled, cleaned shrimp

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and then mix with squash, olives, spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 T and 1t oil, salt and pepper. Heat 2 t oil in a skillet and quickly cook shrimp until done, about 5 minutes. Top pasta mix with shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and add a splash of extra lemon juice.

Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

This is a great salad served either cold or at room temperature. The arugula was a great addition to a classic salad and the buttermilk dressing was light and flavorful.

Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

4 servings
273 calories per serving
(add 80 calories per serving if you do not use FiberGourmet pasta)

8 oz. FiberGourmet rotini pasta
1 c frozen peas
1/2 c fat free buttermilk
1 T minced chives
1 t chopped thyme
½ t salt
½ t pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 c baby arugula
1 t oil
3 oz. finely chopped prosciutto or deli ham

Cook pasta according to package directions adding in the peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking then drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Mix buttermilk, chives, thyme, salt, and pepper and add pasta and arugula and toss well. Heat oil and cook garlic 1 minute then add ham or prosciutto and cook another 2 minutes. Drain and sprinkle on salad.

Parmesan Pork and Penne

This is a meal that the family was raving about…there was much satisfaction around the dinner table the night I made this one ! Even though it is a very quick sauce, it grabs the flavor from the pork and quickly becomes a sauce full of depth. Be sure to add on the fresh herbs – they really add to the awesome flavor of this dish.

Parmesan Pork and Penne
Parmesan Pork and Penne

4 servings
380 calories per serving

If you don’t use the FiberGourmet pasta, the meal does not come in under 400 calories.

8 oz. FiberGourmet penne pasta
3 T bread crumbs
3 T grated parmesan cheese
¾ lb. pork tenderloin sliced thinly
2 t oil
Pam
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained this time
8 oz. tomato sauce
2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t basil flakes
½ t oregano flakes
½ t parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T fresh chopped basil

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a zip loc bag then add the pork slices and shake. Heat oil in skillet and also spray it with Pam and then cook pork 4-6 minutes or until browned on both sides. Add tomatoes, sauce, salt, pepper and olives and bring to a boil the reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or until pork is tender. Serve pork mix over cooked penne. Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

Pesto Chicken and Pasta

This dish is so packed with flavor, so satisfying, so easy to make and I am so going to make it again very soon !

Pesto Chicken and Pasta
Pesto Chicken and Pasta

4 servings
200 calories per serving

½ c prepared pesto sauce
1 c fat free chicken broth
9 oz. prepared sliced chicken (Perdue Shortcuts work great here)
8 oz. FiberGourmet Fettucine noodles (without FiberGourmet pasta, you have to add another 80 calories per serving to this)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large tomatoes, chopped

Mix pesto and ¾ c broth in a skillet and add the chicken and mix well then cover and cook on medium for 5 minutes. Cook the pasta according to package directions and toss with ¼ c broth and season with salt and pepper then add chicken mix and mix well. Garnish with chopped tomatoes.

Mexican Mac and Cheese

This is one of the better mac and cheese recipes I have done. Make sure you stir the mix enough to get all the cheese melted. And try not putting in the half and half until a good amount of the cheese is already melted so you don’t get unmelted lumps. This really hit the spot and you can certainly change it up by adding bits of different vegetables, maybe even some hot peppers 😉

Mexican Mac and Cheese
Mexican Mac and Cheese

4 servings
245 calories per serving

2 c FiberGourmet rotini pasta (without FiberGourmet, the recipe comes in at 285 calories per serving)
¼ c sliced black olives
½ c fat free half and half
½ t salt
1 small red bell pepper chopped
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained
4 slices fat free Kraft American cheese slices

Cook pasta according to package instructions and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until cheese is all melted.

Tortellini and Veggies

Tortellini are so versatile. And this is a great recipe to show off their cheesy goodness 🙂 The sauce is light and packed with healthy veggies.

Tortellini and Veggies
Tortellini and Veggies

4 servings
182 calories per serving

1 9 oz. package of refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 T oil
2 medium shallots, minced
1 medium bell pepper in 1 inch pieces
2 c chopped plum tomatoes (about 6 tomatoes)
1 medium zucchini cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into half moons
½ t garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t basil flakes
½ t oregano flakes

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Heat oil in pan and cook bell pepper and shallots in oil 4-5 minutes then add tomatoes, zucchini and seasonings and cover and cook 5 minutes. Finally add in tortellini and cook 3 minutes or until hot.

Top off the dish with some fresh herbs of your choice (basil and parsley do quite well).

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