Healthy Pasta Bake Recipe

Makes 4 Servings; 221 calories per serving
Courtesy of Calorie Count member bethaevans

Ingredients

• 5 ounces pasta, whole wheat
• ½ cup ricotta, part skim milk
• 1 cup tomatoes, canned
• 1 tablespoon parmesan
• 1 whole egg, large
• 10 ounces spinach, frozen
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and mix with the tomatoes or equal amount of homemade tomato sauce.
2. In a separate bowl, lightly beat egg and mix with ricotta and spinach.
3. Lightly spray a 10" by 7" baking dish. Alternate 2 layers of pasta with 2 layers of spinach mixture, topping each spinach layer with half the basil and ending with spinach mixture. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parmesan and 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts.
4. Bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Serve with a big salad.

Mary Hartley, RD, MPH is Director of Nutrition for Caloriecount.com, a health and diet website offering weight management tools, social support and nutritional info to help its two million+ members reach diet goals. Founded in 2003 by aerospace engineers Erik Fantasia and Igor Lebovic, Caloriecount.com was acquired by About.com in 2006. The website is based on the philosophies that every dieter is different and for a weight loss program to be successful, it has to be personal.