1/6th of recipe (about 1 1/4 cups): 247 calories, 6g total fat (3g sat. fat), 519mg sodium, 30g carbs, 4g fiber, 6.5g sugars, 19.5g protein
Green Plan SmartPoints® value 6*
Blue Plan (Freestyle™) SmartPoints® value 6*
Purple Plan SmartPoints® value 3*
Cheesy baked pasta is a total comfort-food favorite, and we're nuts about this Mexican-themed twist. You will be too... Trust us!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
5 oz. (about 1 1/2 cups) uncooked high-fiber penne pasta
10 oz. raw extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)
2 tbsp. taco seasoning mix
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup frozen sweet corn kernels
3/4 cup light/low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8" X 8" baking pan with nonstick spray.
Cook pasta al dente per package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain well, and transfer to a large bowl.
Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add beef, and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. taco seasoning. Cook and crumble until beef is mostly cooked, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, onion, and corn. Cook and stir until beef is fully cooked, veggies have partially softened, and corn has thawed, about 4 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat, and stir in ricotta cheese. Transfer mixture to the bowl of pasta. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, 1/4 cup shredded cheese, and remaining 1 tbsp. taco seasoning. Mix until uniform.
Transfer mixture to the baking pan, and smooth out the surface. Top with remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese.
Bake until entire dish is hot and cheese has melted, about 15 minutes.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS