9 Guilt-Free Pasta Recipes You Need In Your Life

Who said pasta can’t be a part of a healthy diet?

These tasty pasta recipes skimp on calories without compromising on flavour. So, live a little and follow the healthy Italian way to shed those extra kilos.

1. Penne with spicy tomato sauce

Ingredients

· One can whole tomatoes in tomato puree, drained

· 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, sliced

· 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

· Salt

· 350g whole wheat penne

· 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Method

· Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree the tomatoes until smooth. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sliced garlic and cook over moderately low heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add the pureed tomatoes and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Season the tomato sauce with salt.

· Salt the boiling water. Add the penne to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce in the skillet. Toss well and spoon into bowls or a serving dish. Sprinkle the penne with parsley and serve.

Recipe Courtesy: Mark Strausman

2. Lemon prawn and roasted pepper pasta

Ingredients

· 450g peeled and deveined large shrimp

· 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 300g multigrain spaghetti

· 1 roasted pepper (capsicum), rinsed, patted dry, and chopped (about 1/2 cup)

· 1/4 cup pesto sauce

· 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Method

· Combine the shrimp, lemon juice, and oil in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to grill, but no more than 30 minutes.

· Preheat the grill to medium-high. Remove the shrimp from the marinade (discard the marinade) and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Thread the shrimp onto metal skewers or coat a grill basket with cooking spray. Grill the shrimp 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

· Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the grilled shrimp, roasted pepper, pesto, lemon zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

· Limit saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of total calories–about 17 grams per day for most women or 21 grams for most men–and sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams.

Recipe Courtesy: Women’s Health Magazine

3. Pasta with lemon, chilli and creamy spinach

Ingredients

· 350g whole wheat pasta of your choice

· 1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt

· 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

· 4 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 red chilli, minced

· 10 ounces baby spinach

· Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

· Salt and freshly ground pepper

· 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

· In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta. Drain and return to the saucepan.

· Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the flour until smooth. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and chile and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the yogurt and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring. Add the spinach by the handful and cook until wilted, stirring. When all of the spinach has been added, stir in the lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper.

· Add the sauce to the pasta and toss well to coat. Mound in bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve right away.

Recipe Courtesy: Celia Brooks Brown for Food & Wine