Oven Roasted Veggie Pasta
This came out of the American Heart Assoc Cookbook (I'm giving you the exact recipe and then will tell you what I do)
4 - 6 oz rotini or other pasta
Vegetable oil spray
1 pound crookneck squash or 8 oz crookneck squash and 8 oz zucchini, cut into matchstick strips (3 medium)
2 medium onions, cut into eighths and then in half cross wise (yellow preferred) 1/2 - 3/4 lb
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
8 oz cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil or 1 T plus 1 1/2 t dried, crumbled
1 1/2 T cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 T EVOO
2 t bottled minced garlic or 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 oz feta cheese, rinsed and crumbled
1/2 t salt
1/8 to 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Cook pasta according to package direction omitting salt and oil
Preheat broiler, Line a large broiler pan or two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Spray foil with vegetable oil spray. Put squash, onions, peppers and tomatoes in broiler pan.
Broil about 5 inches from heat for 15 mins or until edges are brown and peppers are just tender, stirring every 5 mins.
Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together basil, vinegar, oil, and garlic (red pepper flakes if you desire)
Drain pasta and put in a large bowl, gently stir in all ingredients
Per Serving: Calories 189, Protein 7 g, Carbs 28 g, Cholesterol 13 g, Fat 6 g, Fiber 3 g, Sodium 360 mg
We love this dish and I make it all the time in the summer with farmers market veggies. You can mix and match what's available to you to make the dish different almost every time. I have tried asparagus and egg plant too.
I use whole wheat pasta... penne or fusilli - you want a heavier pasta, chunky pasta... bowties would work too.
I quarter squash and/or zucchini and slice it up. I don't see the need in matchsticks.
I use red and/or green peppers
I usually put in 16 oz of tomatoes instead of just 8 oz.
I always use balsamic vinegar. I did it once with apple cider and didn't like it at all.
I place reduced fat feta cheese on the counter and we each get to decide how much we want on there. (Fat Free didn't have much taste to me.)
I think 4 medium cloves of garlic is a bit much. I am not a huge garlic fan and this has a bite to it. But I do think it needs the garlic flavor so I do at least 2 cloves.
I use 1 T more of balsamic vinegar too so it coats well. Plus I just chop up a ton of basil. I love the flavor of the vinegar, basil, garlic etc.
I sometimes start the veggies at 450 for 10-15 mins while I prep everything else and the water is coming to a boil. When I throw the pasta in I turn the oven to broil. Takes 10 mins for the pasta, plenty of time to finish off the veggies.
I do think the recipe is meant for a side dish but we eat it for dinner. It says to omit the pasta if you want a good veggie side dish too. It's a great way to go meatless for a meal. It's easy to enter into a recipe and figure out your calorie intake.
4 - 6 oz rotini or other pasta
Vegetable oil spray
1 pound crookneck squash or 8 oz crookneck squash and 8 oz zucchini, cut into matchstick strips (3 medium)
2 medium onions, cut into eighths and then in half cross wise (yellow preferred) 1/2 - 3/4 lb
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
8 oz cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil or 1 T plus 1 1/2 t dried, crumbled
1 1/2 T cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 T EVOO
2 t bottled minced garlic or 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 oz feta cheese, rinsed and crumbled
1/2 t salt
1/8 to 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Cook pasta according to package direction omitting salt and oil
Preheat broiler, Line a large broiler pan or two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Spray foil with vegetable oil spray. Put squash, onions, peppers and tomatoes in broiler pan.
Broil about 5 inches from heat for 15 mins or until edges are brown and peppers are just tender, stirring every 5 mins.
Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together basil, vinegar, oil, and garlic (red pepper flakes if you desire)
Drain pasta and put in a large bowl, gently stir in all ingredients
Per Serving: Calories 189, Protein 7 g, Carbs 28 g, Cholesterol 13 g, Fat 6 g, Fiber 3 g, Sodium 360 mg
We love this dish and I make it all the time in the summer with farmers market veggies. You can mix and match what's available to you to make the dish different almost every time. I have tried asparagus and egg plant too.
I use whole wheat pasta... penne or fusilli - you want a heavier pasta, chunky pasta... bowties would work too.
I quarter squash and/or zucchini and slice it up. I don't see the need in matchsticks.
I use red and/or green peppers
I usually put in 16 oz of tomatoes instead of just 8 oz.
I always use balsamic vinegar. I did it once with apple cider and didn't like it at all.
I place reduced fat feta cheese on the counter and we each get to decide how much we want on there. (Fat Free didn't have much taste to me.)
I think 4 medium cloves of garlic is a bit much. I am not a huge garlic fan and this has a bite to it. But I do think it needs the garlic flavor so I do at least 2 cloves.
I use 1 T more of balsamic vinegar too so it coats well. Plus I just chop up a ton of basil. I love the flavor of the vinegar, basil, garlic etc.
I sometimes start the veggies at 450 for 10-15 mins while I prep everything else and the water is coming to a boil. When I throw the pasta in I turn the oven to broil. Takes 10 mins for the pasta, plenty of time to finish off the veggies.
I do think the recipe is meant for a side dish but we eat it for dinner. It says to omit the pasta if you want a good veggie side dish too. It's a great way to go meatless for a meal. It's easy to enter into a recipe and figure out your calorie intake.
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Replies
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Personally for me, I would ditch the pasta and use spaghetti squash or make julienned threads from zucchini and summer squash for a much more healthier dish than what the AHA is putting forward...0
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This sounds delicious! Thank you!!0
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Sounds awesome! Thanks! Do the tomatoes break up and become slightly "saucy"? May try this, though the bf isn't crazy about vinegar of any kind. Is it subtle, or is the balsamic kind of in your face?0
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Sounds awesome! Thanks! Do the tomatoes break up and become slightly "saucy"? May try this, though the bf isn't crazy about vinegar of any kind. Is it subtle, or is the balsamic kind of in your face?
The tomatoes get mushy and juicy but it's not saucy like spaghetti sauce. You get plenty of tomato flavor.
Yeah it has a vinegar taste. The apple cider isn't as strong as the balsamic. But some balsamics can have a sweet flavor to it too.... the more they are aged I think. I would go by the recipe and have him try it to see. I love balsamic on a lot of things so that's why I adore this recipe.0 -
Sounds yummy. And I bet the leftovers are pretty good too.0
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Sounds good.0
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Thanks! This looks like a great one to try and I think I'll add some of your tips into my cooking as well:happy:
I really like versatile recipes that mix or match veggies depending on what you have.:drinker:0 -
Thanks for shareing! Sounds d-lish!0
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Personally for me, I would ditch the pasta and use spaghetti squash or make julienned threads from zucchini and summer squash for a much more healthier dish than what the AHA is putting forward...
Well if you are trying to cut the carbs down, then that is a way to go. You can say it's healthier because it's all veggies, that's fine too. But whole wheat pasta is a good carb for your diet. It is high in protein and fiber, both of which help keep your blood sugar from crashing.
Losing weight is good for your heart, yes. Do you have to cut carbs to do it, no. Should you eat pasta every night, no. But once in a while we enjoy a good pasta meal and this is one of them for us. You can plan the carbs in your day so that this isn't putting you over any limits on MFP.
Not that anyone probably cares but I fix us pasta about once every two to three weeks while we diet. We try to go meatless at least once or twice a week. To me this is a wonderful dish because of all the veggies in it. It has strong flavors that make it taste richer than it is. It's a nice healthy indulgence when you are dieting.
I'm not sure spaghetti squash would give you that same taste or fullness but I might try to it to find out. Try it once as a side dish... oven roast the squash first and then the rest of the veggies. One of the reasons I don't matchstick the squash in the recipe is I like the veggies chunky and they cook more consistently with the other veggies. You can chop the veggies up as big or as small as you like but I do think they should be about the same size for even cooking. Plus it's a faster chop unless using a mandolin.
I do julienne zucchini as a pasta substitute. Personally I think that would be better than spaghetti squash in this dish. I would think saute the zucchini vs oven roasting it. Now zucchini in place of lasagna noodles is wonderful.0 -
Sounds great! Espically with the Farmer's markets getting ready to open!!0
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@ Mmmmm , sounds great!, Thanks for sharing.0
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How many servings does it make = what is the serving size? It sounds wonderful!0
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bump0
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Sounds yummy!0
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Personally for me, I would ditch the pasta and use spaghetti squash or make julienned threads from zucchini and summer squash for a much more healthier dish than what the AHA is putting forward...
Well if you are trying to cut the carbs down, then that is a way to go. You can say it's healthier because it's all veggies, that's fine too. But whole wheat pasta is a good carb for your diet. It is high in protein and fiber, both of which help keep your blood sugar from crashing.
Losing weight is good for your heart, yes. Do you have to cut carbs to do it, no. Should you eat pasta every night, no. But once in a while we enjoy a good pasta meal and this is one of them for us. You can plan the carbs in your day so that this isn't putting you over any limits on MFP.
Not that anyone probably cares but I fix us pasta about once every two to three weeks while we diet. We try to go meatless at least once or twice a week. To me this is a wonderful dish because of all the veggies in it. It has strong flavors that make it taste richer than it is. It's a nice healthy indulgence when you are dieting.
I'm not sure spaghetti squash would give you that same taste or fullness but I might try to it to find out. Try it once as a side dish... oven roast the squash first and then the rest of the veggies. One of the reasons I don't matchstick the squash in the recipe is I like the veggies chunky and they cook more consistently with the other veggies. You can chop the veggies up as big or as small as you like but I do think they should be about the same size for even cooking. Plus it's a faster chop unless using a mandolin.
I do julienne zucchini as a pasta substitute. Personally I think that would be better than spaghetti squash in this dish. I would think saute the zucchini vs oven roasting it. Now zucchini in place of lasagna noodles is wonderful.
I wasnt speaking for anyone else but myself to be truthful on what I would do for the recipe.
When you are like me with a metabolic disorder that three Endocrinologists just cant put a formal name on it, eating any pasta would put me in the hospital with insulin overload so bad, that I have damn near gone into Insulin shock. Because of that, I have insulin resistance as well. So, your recommendations would not be smart at all for me.
For me, yes - I have to cut the unhealthy carbs: both medium/high glycemic types and when the actual carb count is too high on the label.
For someone like me, spaghetti squash is much better - may not be for you but I prefer to live in my home and not in the hospital, lol.
Given my stats and the fact Im beating this mysterious metabolic issue I have, I think Im doing pretty damn well.
As far as your ideas on food prep.... I work two full time jobs: healthcare and culinary. I work for a major hospital network and when Im not involved with patient care, I run my own catering business as a chef who specializes in restrictive diets... so, I am well versed with my skills... and considering my stats of current weight loss.. Id say I was speaking on professional and personal experience...0 -
How many servings does it make = what is the serving size? It sounds wonderful!
What I do is put it into the Recipe thing on here and put in the number of servings we did. That is the recipe from the book and it says six servings. I still think it was intended as a side dish since it's under 200 calories a serving.
The Recipe tool is under food. Click on the Recipe tab. You can enter everything you put into what you are fixing and then determine your serving size. Since I'm use to cooking for two people, I know how much to do. We eat this as a main meal so more calories.0 -
Personally for me, I would ditch the pasta and use spaghetti squash or make julienned threads from zucchini and summer squash for a much more healthier dish than what the AHA is putting forward...
Well if you are trying to cut the carbs down, then that is a way to go. You can say it's healthier because it's all veggies, that's fine too. But whole wheat pasta is a good carb for your diet. It is high in protein and fiber, both of which help keep your blood sugar from crashing.
Losing weight is good for your heart, yes. Do you have to cut carbs to do it, no. Should you eat pasta every night, no. But once in a while we enjoy a good pasta meal and this is one of them for us. You can plan the carbs in your day so that this isn't putting you over any limits on MFP.
Not that anyone probably cares but I fix us pasta about once every two to three weeks while we diet. We try to go meatless at least once or twice a week. To me this is a wonderful dish because of all the veggies in it. It has strong flavors that make it taste richer than it is. It's a nice healthy indulgence when you are dieting.
I'm not sure spaghetti squash would give you that same taste or fullness but I might try to it to find out. Try it once as a side dish... oven roast the squash first and then the rest of the veggies. One of the reasons I don't matchstick the squash in the recipe is I like the veggies chunky and they cook more consistently with the other veggies. You can chop the veggies up as big or as small as you like but I do think they should be about the same size for even cooking. Plus it's a faster chop unless using a mandolin.
I do julienne zucchini as a pasta substitute. Personally I think that would be better than spaghetti squash in this dish. I would think saute the zucchini vs oven roasting it. Now zucchini in place of lasagna noodles is wonderful.
I wasnt speaking for anyone else but myself to be truthful on what I would do for the recipe.
When you are like me with a metabolic disorder that three Endocrinologists just cant put a formal name on it, eating any pasta would put me in the hospital with insulin overload so bad, that I have damn near gone into Insulin shock. Because of that, I have insulin resistance as well. So, your recommendations would not be smart at all for me.
For me, yes - I have to cut the unhealthy carbs: both medium/high glycemic types and when the actual carb count is too high on the label.
For someone like me, spaghetti squash is much better - may not be for you but I prefer to live in my home and not in the hospital, lol.
Given my stats and the fact Im beating this mysterious metabolic issue I have, I think Im doing pretty damn well.
As far as your ideas on food prep.... I work two full time jobs: healthcare and culinary. I work for a major hospital network and when Im not involved with patient care, I run my own catering business as a chef who specializes in restrictive diets... so, I am well versed with my skills... and considering my stats of current weight loss.. Id say I was speaking on professional and personal experience...
Sorry I didn't know about your disorder, you didn't mention that in your earlier post. It's good that you know what you have to do to be healthy.0 -
Really sounds good
I do a lot of veggie bakes
I will try this one thanks.....0 -
Bump0
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Personally for me, I would ditch the pasta and use spaghetti squash or make julienned threads from zucchini and summer squash for a much more healthier dish than what the AHA is putting forward...
Well if you are trying to cut the carbs down, then that is a way to go. You can say it's healthier because it's all veggies, that's fine too. But whole wheat pasta is a good carb for your diet. It is high in protein and fiber, both of which help keep your blood sugar from crashing.
Losing weight is good for your heart, yes. Do you have to cut carbs to do it, no. Should you eat pasta every night, no. But once in a while we enjoy a good pasta meal and this is one of them for us. You can plan the carbs in your day so that this isn't putting you over any limits on MFP.
Not that anyone probably cares but I fix us pasta about once every two to three weeks while we diet. We try to go meatless at least once or twice a week. To me this is a wonderful dish because of all the veggies in it. It has strong flavors that make it taste richer than it is. It's a nice healthy indulgence when you are dieting.
I'm not sure spaghetti squash would give you that same taste or fullness but I might try to it to find out. Try it once as a side dish... oven roast the squash first and then the rest of the veggies. One of the reasons I don't matchstick the squash in the recipe is I like the veggies chunky and they cook more consistently with the other veggies. You can chop the veggies up as big or as small as you like but I do think they should be about the same size for even cooking. Plus it's a faster chop unless using a mandolin.
I do julienne zucchini as a pasta substitute. Personally I think that would be better than spaghetti squash in this dish. I would think saute the zucchini vs oven roasting it. Now zucchini in place of lasagna noodles is wonderful.
I wasnt speaking for anyone else but myself to be truthful on what I would do for the recipe.
When you are like me with a metabolic disorder that three Endocrinologists just cant put a formal name on it, eating any pasta would put me in the hospital with insulin overload so bad, that I have damn near gone into Insulin shock. Because of that, I have insulin resistance as well. So, your recommendations would not be smart at all for me.
For me, yes - I have to cut the unhealthy carbs: both medium/high glycemic types and when the actual carb count is too high on the label.
For someone like me, spaghetti squash is much better - may not be for you but I prefer to live in my home and not in the hospital, lol.
Given my stats and the fact Im beating this mysterious metabolic issue I have, I think Im doing pretty damn well.
As far as your ideas on food prep.... I work two full time jobs: healthcare and culinary. I work for a major hospital network and when Im not involved with patient care, I run my own catering business as a chef who specializes in restrictive diets... so, I am well versed with my skills... and considering my stats of current weight loss.. Id say I was speaking on professional and personal experience...
Sorry I didn't know about your disorder, you didn't mention that in your earlier post. It's good that you know what you have to do to be healthy.
I didnt need to share that information because in my first reply, I started with "Personally for me".....0 -
Sounds very good thanks 0 -
Love WW pasta, it's got texture so it holds the flavors cooked/added with it. I'm not afraid to eat pasta on occasion either, as long as I have my chunky veggies tossed it, I'm a happy girl that feels it's a healthy meal when I'm in the mood for it.Personally for me, I would ditch the pasta and use spaghetti squash or make julienned threads from zucchini and summer squash for a much more healthier dish than what the AHA is putting forward...
Well if you are trying to cut the carbs down, then that is a way to go. You can say it's healthier because it's all veggies, that's fine too. But whole wheat pasta is a good carb for your diet. It is high in protein and fiber, both of which help keep your blood sugar from crashing.
Losing weight is good for your heart, yes. Do you have to cut carbs to do it, no. Should you eat pasta every night, no. But once in a while we enjoy a good pasta meal and this is one of them for us. You can plan the carbs in your day so that this isn't putting you over any limits on MFP.
Not that anyone probably cares but I fix us pasta about once every two to three weeks while we diet. We try to go meatless at least once or twice a week. To me this is a wonderful dish because of all the veggies in it. It has strong flavors that make it taste richer than it is. It's a nice healthy indulgence when you are dieting.
I'm not sure spaghetti squash would give you that same taste or fullness but I might try to it to find out. Try it once as a side dish... oven roast the squash first and then the rest of the veggies. One of the reasons I don't matchstick the squash in the recipe is I like the veggies chunky and they cook more consistently with the other veggies. You can chop the veggies up as big or as small as you like but I do think they should be about the same size for even cooking. Plus it's a faster chop unless using a mandolin.
I do julienne zucchini as a pasta substitute. Personally I think that would be better than spaghetti squash in this dish. I would think sauté the zucchini vs oven roasting it. Now zucchini in place of lasagna noodles is wonderful.
You both have some good ideas on this particular post...
OP....very much appreciate you sharing YOUR method vs. the Original recipe and also the variations of veggies etc. you're sharing. :happy:0
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