Petite Lasagnas (5 Points Plus)

Okay, I admit it. I like food I can cook in a muffin pan. I think it's so much fun, and my kids like it too. So, when I saw this recipe on the internet, I had to make it! Apparently it was adapted from Hungry Girl, whom I also happen to adore. Thank you to Andie Mitchell at www.canyoustayfordinner.com for posting this yumminess!

(makes 12)

12 oz raw ground turkey

¼ tsp salt, divided

¼ tsp pepper

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped mushrooms

14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes, or tomato sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsp dried oregano, divided

½ tsp dried basil

1 ½ cups part skim ricotta cheese

24 small square wonton wrappers (the kind near the tofu in the refrigerated section of the produce dept)

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey, onions, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Crumble the meat and saute the mixture for about 10 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds.

Add the crushed tomatoes and 2 tsp of oregano. Bring the pan to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, a pinch of salt and pepper, the remaining teaspoon of oregano, and the basil. Stir to mix well. Set aside.

Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 wonton wrapper into each of the 12 cups, pressing firmly in the bottom of the cup and up the sides.

Using half of the ricotta mixture, divide it among the 12 muffin cups. Next, using half of the turkey tomato sauce, spoon it evenly over each of the ricotta filled cups. Sprinkle with 2 tsp of mozzarella.

Gently press another wonton wrapper on top of the mozzarella layer.

Repeat the process by distributing the remaining ricotta, then the remaining tomato sauce, and finally the rest of the shredded mozzarella.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Let the cups cool, remove them from the pan, and serve!

Pronto Penne Pasta (7.5 Points, 9.5 Points Plus)

Serving Size = 1 cup
(This makes a very large amount of food. I chose not to put in the cayenne and served it and the Parmesan on the side. This made it much more kid-friendly.)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups Whole wheat pasta uncooked
1 pound Italian turkey sausage links casings removed
1 medium Red onion chopped
1 medium Green pepper chopped
1 can (14 oz) Diced tomatoes undrained
1 can (14 oz) Chicken broth reduced-sodium
2 cloves Garlic minced
2 teaspoons Dried tarragon
2 teaspoons Dried basil
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
1/4 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup Skim milk
1/2 cup Reduced Fat Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan grated

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile crumble sausage into skillet coated with cooking spray. Ad onion and green pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, and remaining spices.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour and milk until smooth. Stir into sausage mixture. Bring to a boil, cook and stir fro 2 minutes or unitl thickened.
3. Remove from the heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Drain pasta. Toss with sausage mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 373 calories, 11 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 55 mg cholesterol, 800 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 24 g protein.

Healthy Cooking: Taste of Home April/May 2008

Baked Rigatoni with Beef (6.5 points, 8 Points Plus)

Ingredients

4 cups Tomato Sauce
1 pound ground round
4 cups cooked rigatoni (about 2 1/2 cups uncooked pasta)
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Cooking spray
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned; stir to crumble. Drain well. Combine beef, rigatoni, Tomato Sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Serving Size = 1 cup

(Cooking Light)

Nutritional Information

Calories: 305 (28% from fat)

Fat: 9.6g (sat 4.3g,mono 3.5g,poly 0.7g)

Protein: 24g

Carbohydrate: 30.5g

Fiber: 2.3g

Cholesterol: 50mg

Iron: 3.5mg

Sodium: 438mg

Calcium: 232mg

Sausage & Veggie Pizza (8 Points, 10 Points Plus)

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 1/4 cups Onion chopped
1 1/2 cup bell pepper strips
3 links turkey Italian sausage 4 ounces each
1 1/2 can diced tomatoes undrained
1 1/2 loaf French bread cut in half horizontally
1 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°.

Spray a pan with cooking spray and heat it on meium heat. Saute the green pepper and onions about 6 minutes until tender.

Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan, and cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Add diced tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes or until mixture thickens.

Spread sausage mixture evenly over cut sides of bread, and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Place bread halves on a baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut each pizza in half.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 375 (29% from fat)

Fat: 12g (sat 5.1g,mono 4.2g,poly 2.2g)

Protein: 24.6g

Carbohydrate: 42g

Fiber: 4.9g

Cholesterol: 63mg

Iron: 2.7mg

Sodium: 967mg

Calcium: 280mg

Baked Beef Ziti (5 Points, 7 Points Plus)

(8 servings) Ingredients 12 ounces uncooked ziti 1 teaspoon Olive oil 2 cloves Garlic 1/3 pound Ground beef lean 1 teaspoon Dried oregano 1 teaspoon Dried thyme 1 teaspoon Rosemary 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Pepper 28 ounce Tomatoes crushed 1 cup Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

* Cook pasta according to package directions without added fat or salt; drain and set aside.

* Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and return pan to heat.

* Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

* Spoon a small amount of tomato mixture into the bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover the surface). Top with half of the cooked ziti and then layer with half of the remaining tomato sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Layer remaining ziti on top and top with remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=68091

Vegetable Pesto Lasagna (6 Points Plus)

Ingredients

12 Lasagna noodles uncooked
3 cups low-fat chunky vegetable spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups of water
1 container Part Skim Ricotta
1/2 cup of egg substitute
1/2 cup of grated part-skim Mozzarella cheese divided
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1 cup of packed fresh basil
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup of fat-free Italian salad dressing
Cooking Spray

Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients except the sauce, the noodles and the mozarella.

Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of the pan. Arrange 4 pieces of lasagne (3 lengthwise, 1 widthwise) over the sauce. Cover with 1 1/2 cups of the sauce. Spread half the Ricotta mixture on top. Arrange another 4 pieces of lasagne over Ricotta, and top with another cup of the sauce. Spread remaining Ricotta mixture on top. Arrange final 4 pieces of lasagne over Ricotta mixture and cover with remaining sauce.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cover lasagne with foil and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Uncover lasagne, sprinkle remaining Mozzarella cheese on top and bake an additional 5 minutes uncovered. Cover and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

(from the National Pasta Association)

Calories		242.2
Total Fat		5.9 g
	Saturated Fat	3.4 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	1.2 g
Cholesterol		19.7 mg
Sodium		552.7 mg
Potassium		114.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate		32.3 g
	Dietary Fiber	2.9 g
	Sugars	8.1 g
Protein		13.4 g