01/23/2019
I’m not into having to eliminate so-called “unhealthy” foods from your diet to reach your health goals. There’s no such thing as a “do-not-eat” list. Instead, find ways to work in any food in a way that makes sense for you & your goals. Get creative & find healthier versions of your favorite dishes! With a few ingredient swaps, anything is possible!
One of my favorite ingredient swaps is using bean pasta (like Banza ) instead of traditional pasta. It is SO filling because it’s loaded with protein and fiber!
Try this easy weeknight pasta recipe I came up with that only requires ONE pot and 30 minutes from start to finish!
Creamy Shrimp Pasta Bake
Serves 4 (double and bake in a 9x 13 for 8 servings!):
-1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, (thawed if using frozen)
-1 pound chickpea pasta
-1 can diced tomatoes
-2 cups (entire recipe) quick & healthy alfredo sauce (recipe below)
-1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
-1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Quick & Healthy Alfredo Sauce:
-1 Tbsp Olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 cups milk
-1/2 cup broth (chicken or veggie)
-2 Tbsp flour
-1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. In a large, oven-safe saucepan, boil 8 cups water. Cook pasta to al dente (about 7 mins). Drain and rinse pasta immediately. Don’t skip the rinsing step! Set cooked pasta aside.
2. In the same sauce pan you used for the pasta, heat olive oil & sauté garlic over medium heat for 1 min, until fragrant. Add milk & broth, heat to a simmer. Next, add 1 Tbsp flour at a time, whisking to mix in any clumps. Add salt, pepper, & cheese, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 mins, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat.
3. Add shrimp and tomatoes to saucepan and fold in to Alfredo until all shrimp is well coated. Bake in preheated oven for 10 mins. Remove from oven, and very gently fold in cooked pasta until all pasta is well coated in sauce. Top mixture with shredded Parmesan and return to oven for 5 minutes, or until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Top with fresh parsley & serve!
