[www.keralites.net] 9 Guilt-Free Pasta Recipes You Need In Your Life

 

Who said pasta can't be a part of a healthy diet?

These tasty pasta recipes skimp on calories without compromising on flavour. So, live a little and follow the healthy Italian way to shed those extra kilos.

1. Penne with spicy tomato sauce

Ingredients

· One can whole tomatoes in tomato puree, drained

· 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, sliced

· 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

· Salt

· 350g whole wheat penne

· 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Method

· Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree the tomatoes until smooth. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sliced garlic and cook over moderately low heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add the pureed tomatoes and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Season the tomato sauce with salt.

· Salt the boiling water. Add the penne to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce in the skillet. Toss well and spoon into bowls or a serving dish. Sprinkle the penne with parsley and serve.

Recipe Courtesy: Mark Strausman

2. Lemon prawn and roasted pepper pasta

Ingredients

· 450g peeled and deveined large shrimp

· 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 300g multigrain spaghetti

· 1 roasted pepper (capsicum), rinsed, patted dry, and chopped (about 1/2 cup)

· 1/4 cup pesto sauce

· 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Method

· Combine the shrimp, lemon juice, and oil in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to grill, but no more than 30 minutes.

· Preheat the grill to medium-high. Remove the shrimp from the marinade (discard the marinade) and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Thread the shrimp onto metal skewers or coat a grill basket with cooking spray. Grill the shrimp 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

· Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the grilled shrimp, roasted pepper, pesto, lemon zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

· Limit saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of total calories--about 17 grams per day for most women or 21 grams for most men--and sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams.

Recipe Courtesy: Women's Health Magazine

3. Pasta with lemon, chilli and creamy spinach

Ingredients

· 350g whole wheat pasta of your choice

· 1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt

· 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

· 4 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 red chilli, minced

· 10 ounces baby spinach

· Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

· Salt and freshly ground pepper

· 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

· In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta. Drain and return to the saucepan.

· Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the flour until smooth. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and chile and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the yogurt and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring. Add the spinach by the handful and cook until wilted, stirring. When all of the spinach has been added, stir in the lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper.

· Add the sauce to the pasta and toss well to coat. Mound in bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve right away.

Recipe Courtesy: Celia Brooks Brown for Food Wine

4. Herby mushroom pasta

Ingredients

· 250g mushrooms, thickly sliced

· 2 tsp wholegrain mustard

· 3 garlic cloves, sliced or crushed

· 150ml vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)

· 250g penne pasta (or other tube shapes)

· 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

· zest 1 lemon

Method

· Put the mushrooms, mustard, garlic and vegetable stock into a frying pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until the stock has nearly all evaporated and the mushrooms are soft.

· Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain and toss with the mushrooms, parsley and lemon zest. Season to taste and serve straightaway.

Recipe Courtesy: CJ Jackson

5. Super-veg pasta

Ingredients

· 2 red peppers, quartered and deseeded

· 2 tbsp olive oil

· 1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped

· 1 onion, roughly chopped

· 1 large carrot, roughly chopped

· 2 garlic cloves, crushed

· ¼ tsp crushed chillies

· 1 tsp fennel seeds

· 2 tbsp tomato purée

· 400g can chopped tomatoes

· 600ml vegetable stock

· 1 tsp caster sugar

· Small handful basil leaves, shredded

· 400g pasta, cooked

Method

· Heat the grill and pop the peppers, skin-side up, underneath for 10 minutes or until beginning to char. Transfer to a bowl, cover and set aside. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and cut the flesh into strips.

· Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the fennel, onion and carrot for 8-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, crushed chillies, fennel seeds and tomato purée, cook for 2 minutes, then add the canned tomatoes, stock and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are completely soft.

· Take out a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce (this will later add texture), then blend the rest in the saucepan until almost smooth with a stick blender. Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken, then stir in the reserved sauce, shredded basil and peppers. Serve with the pasta.

Recipe Courtesy: Good Food

6. Love your broccoli pasta

Ingredients

· 1 tbsp olive oil

· 1 tbsp minced fresh garlic

· 2 cans seasoned diced tomatoes

· 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

· 1 tsp dried basil

· 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

· 350g pasta of your choice

· 450g broccoli florets

· 1/3 C crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

Method

· Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

· Heat the oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic, and cook gently for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes (with juice), vinegar, basil, and red pepper flakes. Increase the heat, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook the sauce for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

· While the sauce is simmering, add the pasta to the boiling water. When the pasta is almost done, add the broccoli to the pot, and cook for 2 minutes longer.

· Drain the pasta and broccoli, and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the sauce, and toss well. Sprinkle with the feta cheese.

Recipe Courtesy: Women's Health Magazine

7. Creamy cheese and tomato macaroni

Ingredients

· 300g whole-wheat macaroni, or other small pasta shapes

· 25g tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped

· 2 tbsp fresh cream

· 1 tbsp tomato purée

· 1 tbsp parmesan, grated

Method

· Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, in a small food processor, blitz together the tomatoes, crème fraîche and tomato purée into a sauce. (If you don't have a small processor, finely chop the tomatoes, then mix everything together.)

· Drain the pasta, saving a little of the cooking water, then return to the pan with the tomato sauce and half the cheese. Mix together until all the pasta is coated, then serve as a side dish, sprinkled with the remaining cheese.

Recipe Courtesy: Good Food

8. Pasta with cauliflower

Ingredients

· 450g whole-wheat spaghetti

· 1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped (about 3 cups)

· 3 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

· 1/3 cup bread crumbs

· 1 medium onion, chopped

· 6 tbsp Parmesan cheese

· 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Method

· Boil pasta in salted water till cooked. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup water.

· Meanwhile, steam cauliflower (or boil) until tender. Set aside.

· Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil to a small frying pan and toast breadcrumbs, careful not to burn. Set aside.

· Add onions and cook on medium heat until golden. Add steamed cauliflower and mix well.

· Toss pasta with parsley, cheese, cauliflower, 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water, (more if needed) and season with salt and pepper to taste.

· Divide evenly between 6 plates. Top with toasted bread crumbs and serve.

Recipe Courtesy: Skinny Taste

9. Pasta with chicken and mushrooms

Ingredients

· 450g whole-grain pasta

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 250g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut up

· 1 tablespoon olive oil

· 1 medium onion, chopped

· 250g mushrooms, quartered

· Salt and black pepper to taste

· 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

· 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

· 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method

· Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

· Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to a plate.

· Add the olive oil, onion, and mushrooms to the skillet; season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

· Return the chicken to the skillet, add the tomatoes and broth, and cook until the sauce has thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.

· Add the chicken and vegetables, Parmesan, and parsley to the pasta and toss to combine.

Recipe Courtesy: Charlyne Mattoxoss for Real Simple 

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Posted by: Fereshteh Jamshidi <fayjay81@yahoo.com>

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