FANTASTIC Pasta Idea

[pb&j]

Pasta in LF Bechamel Sauce

A middle eastern treat - you can always substitute boiled vegetables (broccoli works great) for the pasta:

9" x 13" pan, sprayed

Ingredients:

1 box of WW or low carb macaroni (ziti, penne work best) cooked and drained

Filling:
1.5 lbs lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 8-ounce can of SB tomato sauce (or tomato paste)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
a pinch of cayenne pepper or ground black pepper

Bechamel Sauce:
4 cups of 1% milk
5 T. smart balance light
6 Tablespoons WW white flour
1 chicken bullion cube
black pepper, to taste

1 egg + 1 egg white, beaten

In a large skillet cook the meat, onion and garlic until the meat is brown and the onion is tender. Drain fat. Stir in the tomato sauce, parsley, oregano, salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and 1/3 cup of water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.

For Bechamel Sauce, in a medium saucepan melt the margarine. Stir in the chicken bullion cube, black pepper, and flour. Add the milk all at once. Cook and stir constantly until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir one minute more.

Set aside 1/3 of the bechamel sauce and mix with beaten egg. Mix the rest of the bechamel sauce with the cooked macaroni. Spread half of the macaroni mixture into a sprayed 9" x 13" baking pan. Spread the meat mixture over it evenly. Spread the rest of the macaroni mixture over the meat. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with a little additional ground cinnamon.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Let sit for 15-20 minutes to set. Then serve.

[A-Rod]

yum, this sounds GREAT. i'm going to try with more whites than whole eggs, so thanks for trying that modification out, luvs!

[Phatty Duke]

If you season the crepes w/ more than just salt & pepper you really won't taste egg at all...oregano, basil, thyme, whatever...it all works.

[lessame]

Wow! Imagine my surprise to come back on here posting after many months away, and find this thread still alive!

I had forgotten about these, but they truly are good, and I can't wait to try out the new recipes, especially the breakfast wraps and the "lasagne" one with fresh spinach leaves. What a great idea!

Thanks, you guys!

[JustStopEating]

Those do sound good. I think maybe I will try them these weekend.

[pb&j]

Made these - great idea!! I just wanted to add my tips/variations -

definitely keep the crepes as thin as possible - just covering the pan as was previously said, and make them a little crispy & brown. Holds together better in the oven.

For crepes, I don't recommend using just whites - they don't hold together as well. I used a mixture of eggbeater and egg whites to keep it low fat, and they were great.

For the ricotta mixture, I used 1 part LF ricotta to 2 parts blended FF cottage cheese - didn't notice a difference at all.

I split the egg and ricotta batters into 2. For one of them, I mix in 1/2 pkg of thawed chopped frozen spinach - 2 T. with the egg batter (for color/taste), the remaining spinach with the ricotta, along with italian seasoning and sauteed onions. It was really good & colorful!


The other ricotta mixture I decided to go sweet. I mixed in a little vanilla extract, cinnamon and splenda with the egg batter, and also with the ricotta mixture. I drizzled with a little SF maple syrup. [You could make the ricotta mixture into your favorite ricotta creme mixture - whatever you like. Just mix some corresponding flavor into the egg batter.]

finally, don't overstuff (as I did) - remember the cheese melts!

thanks again for the recipe & idea.

[Morgana]

Might as well kick this -- I'm sure there are SBers who'd find this discussion very helpful. I know I did.

[Triumphant1]

I'm looking for an opinion from those who have tried this:

Could you make these ahead of time and then make the manicotti, lasagna or slice them up for noodles later? Or are they best when used fresh?

Would they taste more eggy after they have chilled? Might they pick up other flavors easier when they are fresh and therefore taste less eggy?

Eggs aren't my favorite things, so I'm looking for the least eggy taste possible.

TIA!

[kbe_canada]

neat idea.... bump

[nygirl22]

Eggs aren't my favorite things, so I'm looking for the least eggy taste possible.

TIA!

I didn't like these. I'm just saying b/c you say you don't like eggs much. I really hate eggs and --- to me, this tasted like eggs. DH liked them though!

[Triumphant1]

I understand NY Girl! I do okay with the Breakfast Burrito, probably because by the time you top it with chicken, veggies, salsa, cheese and sour cream - it drowns out the egg! LOL!

I still haven't tried the pasta idea, but I just made Fantastic Breakfast Quiche for the first time and liked those. That's about as much egg taste as I can handle. The quiches have cottage cheese in them, so . . . I'm wondering if I beat up cottage cheese and add it to the "pasta" if it will still hold together and if I will like the taste better?

BTW to whomever it was that was complaining about the texture - large curd cottage cheese breaks up easier when you beat it than small curd. The large curds are softer.

[neena1752]

Asparagus & Chicken Carbonara - phase 2 & 3

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti - whole wheat
2 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup evaporated fat-free milk
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup dry vermouth
2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast meat
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled - turkey bacon

Cook pasta in boiling water 10 minutes or until al dente; add asparagus during final 2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta mixture in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid. Combine reserved cooking liquid, egg substitute, and milk, stirring with a whisk.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and onion to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add vermouth; cook 1 minute. Add pasta mixture; stir to combine. Remove from heat; stir in milk mixture, chicken, and cheese. Place pan over medium heat, and cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, salt, pepper, and bacon. Serve immediately.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)
Courtesy myrecipes.com

PLEASE NOTE - the nutrition info below is for the original recipe w/ regular spaghetti and bacon - should look a little better w/ the modifications to whole wheat and turkey bacon

CALORIES 416 (23% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 3.7g,mono 4.4g,poly 2g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 60mg; CALCIUM 236mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.9g; SODIUM 700mg; PROTEIN 34.7g; FIBER 3.1g

[ami]

Make Over Your Favorite Pasta Dishes

If pasta is your favorite go-to meal, you’re in luck! Starting on Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet, you can enjoy a variety of healthy whole-wheat, whole-grain, or spelt pastas, or one of the newer varieties made from brown rice or quinoa. In fact, pasta can be a very nutritious meal as long as you choose the right accompaniments. Fresh vegetables, reduced-fat cheese, and/or a lean protein, such as turkey meatballs, shrimp or other shellfish, or grilled chicken or turkey breast, are all healthy options. Here are some delicious and healthy ways to prepare your favorite pasta dishes South Beach Diet–style:

Try a Phase 1-friendly “pasta.” An easy pasta swap is to halve and seed a 1-pound spaghetti squash, steam or bake it, and use a fork to scrape out the “spaghetti” strands. Serve with tomato sauce and a little freshly grated Parmesan.


On Phase 2, go for healthy pasta. Prepare homemade pasta using whole-wheat flour instead of regular white flour. Alternatively, you could purchase a healthy whole-wheat or whole-grain pasta, like those mentioned above, at the supermarket. Unlike white pasta, which is made from refined wheat flour and has had most of its fiber and other nutrients removed, these newer pastas have their fiber intact and will help keep you feeling fuller, longer. You can find many styles of whole-wheat or whole-grain pasta, including penne, rigatoni, spaghetti, lasagna, linguine, macaroni shells, and fettuccine in most large supermarkets. Look for brands with 3 grams or more of fiber per serving and stick with 1/2 cup cooked.


Choose lean meats and seafood. Prepare homemade meatballs, using extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey breast, which can be enjoyed on all Phases; add whole-wheat bread crumbs, if you like, on Phase 2. Or grill some chicken breast, cut it into cube-sized pieces, and toss them into your pasta dish. Seafood, such as shrimp, crab, or halibut, is also an excellent protein addition.


Enjoy grilled, roasted, or sautéed vegetables. In addition to protein, you can pair your pasta dish with vegetables, such as asparagus, zucchini, spinach, tomatoes, summer squash, broccoli, broccoli rabe, eggplant, and/or bell or hot peppers.


Stick with tomato-, pesto-, or other vegetable-based sauces. Create your own tomato sauce, using fresh tomatoes or tomato purée, tomato paste, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh or dried basil, oregano, and thyme, and freshly ground black pepper. Or, if you prefer to purchase canned or jarred tomato sauce at the supermarket, be sure to choose reduced-sodium varieties with a minimum amount of added sugar (ideally 3 grams of sugar, or less, per serving). You can make pesto using parsley, arugula, and of course the traditional basil. And for a real change of pace, purée a cooked vegetable, like broccoli or summer squash, with some reduced-sodium broth, and serve over pasta.


Top your pasta dish with reduced-fat cheese. Look for reduced-fat cheeses, such as mozzarella or Cheddar, or use freshly grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago. You can also mix a dollop of part-skim ricotta cheese into your sauce for a creamier texture.