Low Fat Pesto Baked Ziti Recipes

Steps:

• COOK pasta (your choice) in water for 10 minutes; will be partially cooked.
• NOTE: You do NOT need to add salt or oil if watching fat content; just stir and DRAIN.
• Finely dice red onion.
• Spray pan with oil and cook onions 5 minutes until soft, ADD diced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• ADD crushed tomatoes, black pepper and bay leaf.
• SIMMER 10 - 15 minutes until slightly thicker.
• Spray 8 x 13 inch baking dish.
• Place 1/2 pasta on bottom.
• In small bowl, mix ricotta, pesto, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and half of the parmesan cheese.
• Place mixture on top of pasta and 1/3 of tomatoe sauce mixture.
• TOP with rest of pasta.
• TOP with rest of sauce.
• TOP with rest of mozzerella and parm cheese.
• BAKE in 180 degree oven for about 35- 40 minutes covered.
• NOTE: Adjust garlic to YOUR taste; I used 2 tablespoons.
• NOTE: I also use the lowest fat cheese I can find.
• NOTE: Pesto can be store bought; look at fat content on labels as can vary significantly.
• NOTE: If you like your sauce slightly thicker, add 1 - 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
• NOTE: Is a recipe that you might have to show control eating like me! 1 cup = my portion approximately.
• ENJOY!
• I served with rocket, tomato and feta cheese salad with balsamic vinegar.

Steps:

• Combine stock and garlic and heat in the microwave on high for 5 minutes (or heat on the stove). Allow to cool.
• Chop basil in food processor. Add cooled stock, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Whirl until everything is finely chopped and blended.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta of your choice. Toss sauce with pasta. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Use as a topping for fish, chicken or potatoes also. Makes 4 servings.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and ground turkey until onion is translucent and turkey is no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce and carrot; simmer until heated through, about 15 minutes. Layer ingredients into prepared baking dish as follows: half the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, half the sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese, and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until cheeses are melted, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook ziti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain and transfer pasta to a bowl and toss with spinach and sour cream.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir sausage, onion, carrots, and garlic until onion is translucent and sausage is no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce and broccoli to sausage mixture and simmer until sauce mixture is heated through, about 15 minutes.
• Layer 1/2 of the ziti mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/2 of the fresh mozzarella cheese, 1/2 of the sauce mixture, the remaining ziti mixture, and fresh mozzarella cheese, respectively, into the baking dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheeses have melted, about 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and cook until top is lightly browned, about 10 minutes more.