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–+ servings

Skinny Italian Stuffed Shells, a Vegetarian Delight

Skinny Italian Stuffed Shells, a Vegetarian Delight

Ingredients
  

  • 12 jumbo pasta shells (4 ounces), I used Barilla jumbo shells
  • ½ slice whole wheat or multi-grain bread to make homemade bread crumbs (about ⅓ cup whole wheat dry breadcrumbs) I used Milton’s Multigrain bread
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1¼ cups onion, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced (~2 cloves)
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1¼ cups reduced-fat cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • 1½ cups jarred pasta sauce, I love Classico Tomato Basil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9” baking dish with cooking spay and set aside.
  • Cook shells in a large pot of boiling water, stirring often and cook until just tender, according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
  • In the meantime, in a blender, add ½ slice bread, including crust. Grind into crumbs. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft. Stir in thawed spinach and mix well. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.  Mix well.  Stir in cooked onions and spinach. Stir in the egg white. Season with Italian seasonings and fresh ground pepper, to taste.
  • Stuff each of the cooked shells with a generous 2 tablespoons of the cottage cheese mixture. Spread ½ cup pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9” baking dish. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer, 3 rows of 5 shells. Top shells with remaining 1 cup sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1½ tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the shells are heated through. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 3shellsCalories: 273kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 21gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 712mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gBlue Smart Points: 7Green Smart Points: 7Plus Points: 7