Tag Archives: Pasta

Pasta Dinner

Thanks to FiberGourmet pasta – I can have a whole plate of food like this – and that makes me feel satisfied. Hunger is definitely gone after a plateful like this.

The first part about ‘dieting’ that kills me is the so so small portions of pasta you get – – that is until I found FiberGourmet. You can order it off their website at www.fibergourmet.com or you can get it on Amazon.

Because of it, I can sit down to a plate like this for UNDER 425 CALORIES !! And my daughter is oh so happy to have ‘pasta night’ back again 🙂

1 serving
424 calories per serving

2 oz. pasta cooked and tossed with your favorite low cal marinara sauce
Anchovy Bibb Lettuce Salad (tastes much like Caesar Salad)
Garlic Toast

Spinach Orzo

Sometimes nothing will do but pasta ! And orzo is one of my favorites ! This recipe is great served next to a lighter fish or chicken dish and you get in lots of veggies along with the pasta. Sometimes I leave out the parmesan if it will not match well with the flavors of the other dinner components – and it tastes just as great without it.

Spinach Orzo
Spinach Orzo

8 servings
160 calories per serving

2 t margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ c coarsely shredded carrot
4 c fat free chicken broth
2 c orzo
3 c thinly sliced fresh spinach
3 T grated parmesan cheese
1 T chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt margarine and cook garlic and carrot 2 minutes then stir in broth, pasta and spinach. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until broth is absorbed. Stir in the rest of the ingredients just before serving.

Fettucine Carbonara

Once again, FiberGourmet Pasta makes it possible to have a serving of this PLUS a side and that makes me a happy camper 🙂 This carbonara is very tasty and without any oil, it comes in at just 300 calories per serving. Enjoy !

Fettucine Carbonara
Fettucine Carbonara

4 servings
300 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet fettuccine noodles (without FiberGourmet pasta, you have to add another 80 calories per serving to this)
2/3 c fat free chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
3 oz. Canadian bacon, in thin strips
3 c sliced mushrooms
1 c frozen peas
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
2 T fat free sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the broth to a boil then add onion and cook 3 minutes. Then add the bacon and mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes or until mushrooms are very soft. Add the peas, salt and pepper and heat through and then stir in the cheese and sour cream. Cook pasta according to directions and serve with sauce.

Pasta Salad with Tuna

Always a favorite at BBQ’s, this pasta salad with tuna adds a healthy bed of spinach to the dish and the flavors mixed extraordinarily well.

Pasta Salad with Tuna
Pasta Salad with Tuna

4 servings
260 calories per serving

2 c uncooked Fibergourmet rotini pasta (using regular pasta, you add 80 calories per serving)
2 6 oz. cans fancy white albacore tuna canned in water, drained
¼ c finely chopped green onions
2/3 c frozen peas, thawed
2/3 c low fat creamy Italian salad dressing
1/8 t pepper
4 c fresh spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package instructions then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Add flaked tuna, onions, peas, dressing and pepper and mix well the chill for at least 2 hours. To serve, place spinach on plates and top with pasta salad. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

It’s great to have a crock pot mac and cheese recipe – it’s a side dish that can be paired with just about anything and sometimes a crock pot recipe with a long cook time is just so convenient !

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

7 servings
170 calories per serving

2 ½ c skim milk
¼ c Egg Beaters
1 t salt
½ t pepper
3 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
8 oz. macaroni, cooked al dente

Combine all except macaroni and cook on high 1 hour. Add macaroni and cook on low 4 hours.

Penne Chicken Primavera

The ranch dressing adds a nice kick of flavor to the chicken and then mellows out the creamy sauce in this primavera. I have lots of recipes gathered up for primavera and this is one of my favorites 🙂

Penne Chicken Primavera
Penne Chicken Primavera

4 servings
395 calories per serving

8 oz. uncooked FiberGourmet Penne pasta (without Fiber Gourmet, you have to add 80 calories per serving)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves cut into bite sized pieces
1 oz. package dry ranch dressing mix
1 T buttery spread
1 garlic clove, minced
16 oz. frozen vegetable mix (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots)
1 c skim milk
¼ c low fat cream cheese
½ c shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Place chicken and dressing mix in a zip loc bag and shake to coat it well. Melt spread and cook garlic one minute then add chicken and cook another 4 minutes to brown it some. Add veggies, cover and cook 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and stir in milk mix and cream cheese. Cook 2 minutes stirring constantly then add pasta and parmesan cheese.

Pasta, Argula and Shrimp

The bitter arugula along with the garlic and shrimp was a perfect taste combination to place over pasta. And using FiberGourmet pasta means this dish comes in at under 400 calories !

Pasta, Argula and Shrimp
Pasta, Argula and Shrimp

4 servings
330 calories per serving

8 oz. FiberGourmet fettuccine noodles (without FiberGourmet, this recipe comes in over 400 calories)
2 T garlic clove, minced
1 ¼ t black pepper
½ t salt
5 oz. baby arugula
Water for boiling pasta
1 T oil
½ lb. shrimp, peeled, cleaned and cut in half lengthwise
2 T shallots, minced
¾ c chicken broth
2 T lemon juice
1 T butter
½ c shaved parmesan or romano cheese

Combine 2 T garlic, 1 t pepper. ¼ t salt and arugula. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and add to the arugula mix. Heat oil and cook shrimp 1 minute with the rest of the salt and pepper. Add the rest of the garlic and the shallots to the pan and cook another minute and them remove from the pan and set aside. If a lot of juices accumulated from using frozen shrimp, you can dump them. Cook broth and juice in the same pan for 5 minutes and then return shrimp to the pan and stir and then remove from heat and stir in the butter. Place pasta on plates and place shrimp mixture over the top and then add cheese and serve immediately.

Herbed Orzo

Orzo is just one of my most favorite side dishes. It has to come in smaller portions nowadays, but it still fit into the meal plan, especially when served simply with lemon and cut up herbs.

Herbed Orzo
Herbed Orzo

4 servings
170 calories per serving

1 c dry orzo
3 T chopped fresh herbs (one or a mix – parsley, basil, cilantro, etc.)
2 t lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and mix with the remaining ingredients.

Pasta and Lentils (Crock Pot)

Once again, without FiberGourmet pasta, this meal would not have been near as substantial for the low amount of calories – I can’t live without FiberGourmet Pasta !

I was a bit heavy handed on the crushed red pepper and this came out just fantastic tasting – spicy and hot with a nice deep flavor from having simmered all day long.

Pasta and Lentils (Crock Pot)
Pasta and Lentils (Crock Pot)

4 servings
230 calories per serving

½ c chopped onions
½ c chopped carrots
½ c chopped celery
2 c canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c tomato sauce
4 oz. dried lentils, rinsed and drained
½ t oregano flakes
½ t basil flakes
½ t garlic powder
¼ t crushed red pepper
4 c FiberGourmet pasta (cooked)
Up to a cup of hot water

Mix all except pasta in the crock and cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 3-5 hours. If your crock pot gets hot and this mix is drying out too much, add up to a cup of hot water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add cooked, drained pasta to crock and serve immediately.

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