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Spaghetti with Clam Sauce
Posted on Sep 10th 2009 1:00PM by Tanya ZuckerbrotCelebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Click here to submit!
Jewel from Chandler, Ariz. asked for a healthier alternative for a classic family spaghetti recipe. Jewel has fond memories of this dish because her big brother would prepare it for her when she was growing up, and although her brother has passed on, she will always remember those dinners. Unfortunately, the recipe calls for sausage and ground beef, and it's chock-full of saturated fat and refined carbohydrate from the pasta. Jewel has already changed her lifestyle by becoming vegetarian to lose weight, and she only has 9 pounds to go until she reaches her goal weight. It's hard for her to choose healthy meats over fried chicken, so she's cut meat out altogether. However, by choosing lean cuts of red meat, poultry and fish, you can also drop the pounds! And since Jewel still will eat fish (pesce-vegetarian), I think she'll love my recipe for spaghetti with clam sauce.
In the past decade or so, one of the most prominent nutrition recommendations has been to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish, flaxseed, canola oil, walnuts and some green leafy vegetables. Why? Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, studies have shown some anti-inflammatory and metabolism-boosting effects, along with improvements in mood, with higher omega-3 fatty acid intake. So, instead of the fatty sausage and ground beef, I swapped clams, which are a decent source of omega-3s and are very low in calories.
As for the pasta base, I ditched the plain old white pasta and use Ronzoni's Smart Taste pasta, which is made from white flour but has added fiber and calcium. It contains the same amount of fiber as whole wheat pasta (about 6 grams for 2 ounces) and about as much calcium as a glass of milk! With the sauce and spices, when all is said and done, your family will not even realize they are eating a healthier, nutrient-dense dish. So enjoy and good luck with your last few pounds, Jewel!
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| Recipe may vary from photograph. Photo: paPisc, Flickr |
In the past decade or so, one of the most prominent nutrition recommendations has been to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish, flaxseed, canola oil, walnuts and some green leafy vegetables. Why? Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, studies have shown some anti-inflammatory and metabolism-boosting effects, along with improvements in mood, with higher omega-3 fatty acid intake. So, instead of the fatty sausage and ground beef, I swapped clams, which are a decent source of omega-3s and are very low in calories.
As for the pasta base, I ditched the plain old white pasta and use Ronzoni's Smart Taste pasta, which is made from white flour but has added fiber and calcium. It contains the same amount of fiber as whole wheat pasta (about 6 grams for 2 ounces) and about as much calcium as a glass of milk! With the sauce and spices, when all is said and done, your family will not even realize they are eating a healthier, nutrient-dense dish. So enjoy and good luck with your last few pounds, Jewel!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons diced shallots
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 26-ounce jar low-sodium tomato sauce
- 1 14-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 1 10-ounce can baby clams, undrained
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 8 ounces Ronzoni Smart Taste spaghetti
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Add the wine, black pepper, tomato sauce, artichoke hearts and baby clams; reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in basil and parsley.
- Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl. Serve sauce over pasta.
Serves 4
Nutritional Content:
305 calories, 7 g fat, 0.9 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat, 55 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 12 g protein, 50 mg sodium, 340 mg calcium
If you are trying to shed a few pounds, you might want to learn more about more omega-3s.
Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your most favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REHAB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.
