Simple. Delicious. CHEAP!

Rotini with Broccoli Ricotta
America’s Healthy Cooking Copyright 2004

12 ounces dried rotini or other corkscrew-shaped pasta I used Smart Taste pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1 pound broccoli flowerets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 ½ cups part-skim ricotta cheese a 15-ounce container is perfect
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Coarsely ground black pepper

1. Bring 12 cups water to a boil in a 5- to 6- quart pan over medium-high heat. Stir in pasta and cook just until tender to bite (8 to 10 minutes); or cook according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in wide nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broccoli and continue to cook, stirring, until bright green (about 3 minutes). Pour in ¼ cup water and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until broccoli is tender-crisp (about 5 minutes).
2. Drain pasta well, reserving ¼ cup of the water. Place in a serving bowl. Add vegetables and ricotta. Mix thoroughly but gently; if too dry, stir in enough of the reserved water to moisten. Offer Parmesan and pepper to add to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 540 calories, 25g protein, 75g carbs, 16g total fat, 29mg chol, 149mg sodium
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I made this for my lunch this week and it was fantastic. I happen to like this sort of thing - I've always loved noodles and cottage cheese. I used Smart Taste pasta for more fiber. I separated it into 5 servings instead of 4 which brought the calorie count down. I'm not sure I trust the nutritional info though - 25 grams of protein seems awfully high although maybe I'm wrong. I just did a quick Google and saw that there were 3 grams of protein in a cup of broccoli which surprised me. This would make a great inexpensive meatless dinner.

This reheats surprisingly well. I thought it might be dry but it actually wasn't.

Well the baby's sick so we'll see how the rest of the week goes.

Question of the Day: Have you added more meatless meals to your menu in order to save money or eat healthier?