You don’t have to skip out on your favorite carbohydrates when dieting; you can have your cake and eat it too. Well, maybe not cake, but a mouth-watering dish of pasta instead. If you are anything like me, with Italian heritage, pasta is one of the most important food groups growing up. Sunday family dinners always consist of heavy pasta plates drenched in marinara sauce may leave you feeling a bit guilty about a diet you planned to stick by after making your New Year’s Resolution (less than 3 weeks ago).
You don’t have to abandon your dreams of trim tummy to enjoy so many healthy cooking options with pasta. Using whole wheat pasta as a substitute for original in any pasta meal idea. Whole grain cuts the calories and provides more nutrients yet still leaves you feeling filled as original pasta. Using low fat or low calorie cooking products is another way to lower the calorie intake of the meal. However, the most important thing for making your heavy spaghetti dish into a hearty healthy meal is the use of vegetables. Not only do vegetables make the meal look more vibrant while adding texture to the dish, the vitamins and minerals in certain vegetables will be both good in taste and good for you.
Compiling together a few recipes packed with taste and not the calories; don’t you think it’s time to find your new favorite pasta dish?
Recipe: Southwestern Vegetarian Pasta
Total Calories: 421
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1 (12 ounce) package uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Saute onion, green pepper, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas and corn. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened and heated through.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- Combine pasta and sauce. Sprinkle each serving with Monterey Jack cheese.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Number of servings: 6
Recipe: Stir-Fried Noodles with Green Tea
Total Calories: 420
Ingredients
- 8 ounces udon or whole-wheat noodles
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon loose green tea leaves, preferably gunpowder (optional)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces flavored baked tofu, (see Tip), cut into matchsticks
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 4 scallions, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add tea leaves (if using), ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tofu and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add red and yellow bell peppers and cook, stirring, until the peppers soften, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the noodles, scallions, soy sauce and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in sesame oil and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve warm or cold.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Number of servings: 4
Recipe: Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo
Summary: Total Calories: 457
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orzo, preferably whole-wheat
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), divided
- 1 plum tomato, diced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram, divided
- 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1-1 1/4 pounds)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
- 1/2 cup finely shredded Romano cheese, divided
Instructions
- Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
- Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
- Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
- Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Number of servings: 4
Recipe: Bow-Tie Pasta with Red Pepper Sauce
Summary: Total Calories: 95
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- 2 cups red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 cups bow tie pasta
- 1 cup blanched green peas
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Combine bell pepper, broth, oregano, salt, and pepper in 2 quart saucepan. Cover. Cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bell pepper is tender.
- Stir in tomato paste, vinegar, and honey; remove from heat. Puree mixture in a blender or food processor.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package. Drain.
- Mix together pasta, red pepper sauce, peas, and parsley.
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Number of servings : 6
