Healthy Manicotti Recipes

HOMEMADE SPINACH MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Start by making the crespelles (see recipe link above)
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella, egg, spinach, parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
• Fill each crespelle with 1/4 cup spinach filling and roll.
• In a large baking dish, (or two smaller dishes) pour 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place rolled manicotti seem side down onto baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups more sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake about about 25 minutes, until hot and bubbling, and the cheese is melted.
• *Use substitute for vegetarian parmesan.

EASY HEALTHY MEATLESS MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella, cottage cheese, and next five ingredients (through pepper) in medium bowl.
• Fill and stuff each shell (will have enough mixture for all - so don't worry).
• Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick.
• Pour 1/2 of sauce on bottom.
• Arrange shells on top in single layer.
• Pour remaining sauce over shells.
• Pour water into dish.
• Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
• Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake for 1 hour in preheated oven.
• Let stand for ten minutes before serving.

CHICKEN ROMANO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil and coat with cooking spray; set aside. Place each piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly until about 1/2 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap. Set aside.
• In a shallow dish use a fork to beat together egg white and the water. In another shallow dish combine crushed cornflakes, the 2 tablespoons grated cheese, the Italian seasoning and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. Dip chicken pieces, one at a time, into egg mixture; dip into cornflake mixture, turning to coat. Place coated chicken in the prepared baking pan.
• Bake about 18 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. In a small saucepan cook pasta sauce until heated through, stirring occasionally.
• To serve, divide cooked spaghetti among four serving plates. Top with chicken and pasta sauce. If desired, sprinkle with additional cheese and/or parsley.

HEALTHY MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven 350 degrees.
• Cook ground beef, onion and garlic in 10-in nonstick skillet, stirring frequently, until beef is brown; drain.
• Stir in tomatoes, mushrooms, parsley, basil, fennel seed and salt; break up tomatoes.
• Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
• Cover and Simmer 10 minutes.
• Spoon about 1/3 if the beef mixture into ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13X9X2 inches.
• Mix cottage cheese, 1/3 Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, pepper, and spinach.
• Fill uncooked manicotti shells with spinach mixture.
• Place shells on beef mixture in baking dish.
• Pour remaining beef mixture over shells, covering shells completely.
• Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
• Cover and bake 1 1/2 hours or until manicotti shells are tender.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• If using fresh spinach, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and season generously with salt. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and season with salt. Boil the spinach until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, (keep the water in the pot boiling), and immediately plunge the spinach into the ice water. Drain and squeeze the excess water from the spinach, and finely chop. Alternatively, if using thawed spinach, simply squeeze, and finely chop. Set aside.
• In the same large pot of boiling water, cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and pat dry.
• Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of the grated cheese and mix until evenly combined. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and pepper. Spoon the cheese mixture into the manicotti shells and line them up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining 2 cups sauce. Scatter the remaining 2/3 cup grated cheese on top and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and season with pepper to taste. Use right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Yield: 3 1/2 cups
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°. Grease rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Cook and drain manicotti as directed on package. Mix tomato sauce, tomato and basil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce mixture evenly in baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients except mozzarella cheese. Fill manicotti with spinach mixture. Place in baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce mixture over shells. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake 15 minutes uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.1 Serving: Calories 365 (Calories from Fat 110) Fat 12g (Saturated 6g) Cholesterol 115mg Sodium 1,110mg Carbohydrate 40g (Dietary Fiber 4g) Protein 28g.From "Betty Crocker's Best of Healthy & Hearty Cooking." Text Copyright 1998 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

SKINNY THREE-CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, for filling, coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, and garlic to hot skillet. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the eggs, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Spoon filling into cooked manicotti shells.
• For sauce, place undrained tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Stir in roasted red peppers. Spread about 1/3 cup of the sauce into the bottoms of four 12- to 16-ounce ungreased individual baking dishes or a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti shells in individual baking dishes or large baking dish, overlapping shells slightly if necessary. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.
• Bake, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes for individual baking dishes or 35 to 40 minutes for large baking dish or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

MEATY MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Remove from the heat. Cool for 10 minutes., Drain shells and rinse in cold water. Stir the mozzarella cheese, cream cheese and salt into meat mixture. Spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , Stuff each shell with about 1/4 cup meat mixture; arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. , Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.