I swear. One of these days, my camera is going to make nice with Italian food. I promise you.
.... but until then, you'll just have to trust me when I say that this is one of my new favorite, super yummy and pretty dishes. Yes, it's pretty. I promise.
I absolutely love the fresh pasta you can pick up at some grocery stores these days. Granted, I shop at Whole Foods... and coming from a small town, I know that fresh pasta isn't always easy to find. But if you find yourself in the midst of all its glory, pick some up. It's better than the frozen stuff. I promise.
I'm making a lot of promises (okay, a lot is a whole two in this case) today, aren't I? How about I throw one more in there for good measure?
I promise you this is a lot of food. It may not sound like a lot but it's hearty. It's a little more calorie dense than I normal like but sometimes, you just need some serious comfort food. Cheese = comfy.
I promise you that.
Meaty Veggie Cheesy Manicotti
INGREDIENTS
18 oz fresh cheese manicotti (I used Whole Foods All Natural Cheese Manicotti)
8 oz 95% lean grass-fed ground beef
1 shallot, thinly diced
1 pint cremini mushrooms, quartered
4 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
25 oz organic fat free spaghetti sauce
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large skillet, brown meat. Add shallot and mushrooms; saute until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add sauce, stir well. Remove from heat.
2. In a 2 1/2 quart baking dish, coat bottom with two cups sauce mixture. Add pasta; cover with remaining sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until heated through.
Makes 3 servings -- 508 cal | 39 carbs | 21 fat | 40 protein
