Despite what you hear from the diet police, pasta ain’t all bad. As long as you eat it in moderation – and avoid butter- and cream-based sauces – it can be high in protein and low in fat. And all those complex carbohydrates can help you through your high-powered workouts. Here we offer six recipes for easy, healthful dishes, thinking outside the (spaghetti) box with creative alternatives such as whole-wheat penne and Asian noodles like udon and soba. So dig in, twirl your fork and fuhgedaboudit.
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Farfalle With Chicken & Pesto
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. farfalle1/2 cup reserved pasta water1/2 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed2 cups prepackaged grilled chicken1/2 cup reduced-fat pesto sauce
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.Meanwhile, place green beans in a shallow pan with enough water to cover them, and steam over medium heat for 15 minutes. Drain.Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.Combine pasta, pesto, water, chicken and green beans in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
539 calories40 g protein79 g carbohydrate8 g fat4 g fiber
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Whole Wheat Penne With Kale & Cannellini Beans
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. whole-wheat penne2 cloves garlic, minced1 lb. kale, choppedSalt to taste1 tsp. red pepper flakes14-oz. can cannellini beans1/2 cup chicken broth or reserved pasta waterNonstick cooking spray
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and saute garlic for two minutes over medium heat. Add kale, salt and red pepper flakes and saute about eight more minutes, or until kale wilts and is tender.Drain and rinse beans, then add to kale mixture along with broth and pasta, stirring to combine.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
353 calories15 g protein68 g carbohydrate3 g fat11 g fiber
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Baked Ravioli
Makes six servings
Ingredients:
2 packages chicken ravioli (9 oz. each), such as Buitoni (found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store)2 cups chunky tomato sauce, like Muir Glen1/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheeseNonstick cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Cook pasta according to package directions, but only till it floats to the top of saucepan. Drain.Return pasta to pan and add tomato sauce, stirring to coat.Pour pasta mixture into a casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 15 minutes, until cheese is barely golden.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
157 calories9 g protein20 g carbohydrate5 g fat3 g fiber
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Soba Salad
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. soba noodles (we used Hakubaku Organic Soba)1/4 cup rice vinegar2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce2 tsp. peeled, minced fresh ginger1 Tbsp. sesame oil1 medium cucumber, sliced1 medium carrot, shredded4 green onions, sliced
Directions:
Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water.Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil to form a sauce.In a large bowl, add noodles, cucumber, carrot and sauce, stirring to coat. Sprinkle green onions on top.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
250 calories10 g protein43 g carbohydrates5 g fat4 g fiber
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Shrimp Orzo Salad
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. orzo (a small pasta shaped like grains of rice)1 lb. medium shrimp, cooked1 basket cherry tomatoes2 oz. reduced-fat feta cheese1/4 cup chopped basil1 Tbsp. olive oil1 Tbsp. lemon juiceSalt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water.Meanwhile, pull tails off shrimp and cut cherry tomatoes in half.Combine shrimp, tomatoes, orzo, cheese, basil, olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl and stir to combine.Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
388 calories36 g protein47 g carbohydrate7 g fat3 g fiber
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Rice Noodles With Steak
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. rice noodles8 oz. flank steak, cut into thin strips8 oz. sugar snap peas, ends trimmed1/2 cup teriyaki stir-fry sauceNonstick cooking spray
Directions:
Prepare rice noodles according to package directions. Drain.Coat a nonstick wok or saute pan with nonstick cooking spray. Saute flank steak 5-8 minutes over medium heat, until just cooked. Remove from pan.Saute peas 3-5 minutes, or until slightly brown on the edges; they should still be crunchy.Add steak, noodles and teriyaki sauce to pan and cook another minute to heat through.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
331 calories19 g protein56 g carbohydrate3 g fat4 g fiber
Despite what you hear from the diet police, pasta ain’t all bad. As long as you eat it in moderation – and avoid butter- and cream-based sauces – it can be high in protein and low in fat. And all those complex carbohydrates can help you through your high-powered workouts. Here we offer six recipes for easy, healthful dishes, thinking outside the (spaghetti) box with creative alternatives such as whole-wheat penne and Asian noodles like udon and soba. So dig in, twirl your fork and fuhgedaboudit.
Farfalle With Chicken & Pesto
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. farfalle
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
2 cups prepackaged grilled chicken
1/2 cup reduced-fat pesto sauce
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
Meanwhile, place green beans in a shallow pan with enough water to cover them, and steam over medium heat for 15 minutes. Drain.
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Combine pasta, pesto, water, chicken and green beans in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
539 calories
40 g protein
79 g carbohydrate
8 g fat
4 g fiber
Whole Wheat Penne With Kale & Cannellini Beans
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. whole-wheat penne
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. kale, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
14-oz. can cannellini beans
1/2 cup chicken broth or reserved pasta water
Nonstick cooking spray
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and saute garlic for two minutes over medium heat. Add kale, salt and red pepper flakes and saute about eight more minutes, or until kale wilts and is tender.
Drain and rinse beans, then add to kale mixture along with broth and pasta, stirring to combine.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
353 calories
15 g protein
68 g carbohydrate
3 g fat
11 g fiber
Baked Ravioli
Makes six servings
Ingredients:
2 packages chicken ravioli (9 oz. each), such as Buitoni (found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store)
2 cups chunky tomato sauce, like Muir Glen
1/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cook pasta according to package directions, but only till it floats to the top of saucepan. Drain.
Return pasta to pan and add tomato sauce, stirring to coat.
Pour pasta mixture into a casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 15 minutes, until cheese is barely golden.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
157 calories
9 g protein
20 g carbohydrate
5 g fat
3 g fiber
Soba Salad
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. soba noodles (we used Hakubaku Organic Soba)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 medium carrot, shredded
4 green onions, sliced
Directions:
Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water.
Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil to form a sauce.
In a large bowl, add noodles, cucumber, carrot and sauce, stirring to coat. Sprinkle green onions on top.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
250 calories
10 g protein
43 g carbohydrates
5 g fat
4 g fiber
Shrimp Orzo Salad
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. orzo (a small pasta shaped like grains of rice)
1 lb. medium shrimp, cooked
1 basket cherry tomatoes
2 oz. reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water.
Meanwhile, pull tails off shrimp and cut cherry tomatoes in half.
Combine shrimp, tomatoes, orzo, cheese, basil, olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
388 calories
36 g protein
47 g carbohydrate
7 g fat
3 g fiber
Rice Noodles With Steak
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. rice noodles
8 oz. flank steak, cut into thin strips
8 oz. sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
1/2 cup teriyaki stir-fry sauce
Nonstick cooking spray
Directions:
Prepare rice noodles according to package directions. Drain.
Coat a nonstick wok or saute pan with nonstick cooking spray. Saute flank steak 5-8 minutes over medium heat, until just cooked. Remove from pan.
Saute peas 3-5 minutes, or until slightly brown on the edges; they should still be crunchy.
Add steak, noodles and teriyaki sauce to pan and cook another minute to heat through.
