Pasta, Risotto, and Rice Read Free Page A

Top with half of the ricotta cheese. Arrange half of the eggplant slices on top of the ricotta. Top with 1½ cups of the tomato sauce and 1½ cups of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers, using up the remaining orzo, ricotta cheese, eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.
    Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
     
    Nutrients per serving:
    Calories: 426
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 39mg
Carbohydrate: 49g
Protein: 25g
Fiber: 5g
Sodium: 944mg

Pasta Spirals with White Beans, Broccoli, and Parmesan
    Serves 4 ■ Prep time: 5 minutes ■ Cooking time: 15 minutes
    Combining pasta and beans is a classic Italian combo, and it creates a super-filling, nutritious meal. I like white beans here (Great Northern or cannellini), but you can use pink, red, black, or even black-eyed peas or chickpeas.
12 ounces spiral pasta
4 cups fresh or thawed frozen broccoli florets
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can white beans (Great Northern or cannellini), rinsed and drained
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the broccoli for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and keep warm.
    Meanwhile, combine the broth and beans in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Add the cooked pasta and broccoli and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
     
    Nutrients per serving:
    Calories: 460
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Carbohydrate: 81g
Protein: 23g
Fiber: 9g
Sodium: 380mg

Ditalini Pasta with Black Beans, Tomatoes, and Cheese
    Serves 4 ■ Prep time: 5 minutes ■ Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes
    Fresh thyme is a key ingredient here. Dried thyme simply won’t provide the same fresh flavor I want you to experience.
12 ounces ditalini
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green peppers, celery, and onions
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
    Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return the pasta to the pan. While the pasta is still warm, stir in the beans, tomatoes, cheese, and thyme and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
     
    Nutrients per serving:
    Calories: 475
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 10mg
Carbohydrate: 83g
Protein: 22g
Fiber: 9g
Sodium: 691mg

Spinach Fettuccine with Peas, Butter, and Parmesan
    Serves 4 ■ Prep time: 5 minutes ■ Cooking time: 10 minutes
    Spinach fettuccine is super-nutritious because it’s made with the colorful green vegetable. It also makes for a great presentation. In this dish, a light butter sauce is accented with bright green peas and Parmesan cheese.
12 ounces spinach fettuccine
1 cup frozen green peas, kept frozen until ready to use
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
    Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions, adding the peas for the last 30 seconds of cooking. Drain and keep warm.
    Meanwhile, combine the broth and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes, until the butter melts. Add the cooked fettuccine, the peas, and the Parmesan and cook for 1 minute, until the cheese starts to melt (the cheese doesn’t need to melt completely). Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.
     
    Nutrients per serving:
    Calories: 400
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 34mg
Carbohydrate: 52g
Protein: 16g
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 471mg

Fusilli with Pesto, Seared Cherry Tomatoes, and Pine Nuts
    Serves 6 ■ Prep time: 10 minutes ■ Cooking time: 10 minutes
    This dish can be served warm or chilled, making it ideal for taking it on the