April 5, 2011

Ravioli with Mushrooms and Spinach

I am a huge pasta lover and cannot imagine a more comforting dish than spaghetti, lasagna or ravioli in this case. I found those freshly made cheese stuffed ravioli at Whole Foods and couldn't wait to taste them. I promise to try and make them from scratch one of these days but let's skip the hard labor for now. Carbs are somewhat perceived as unhealthy but in fact it all depends on what kind they are and how you eat them. Boost your pasta with simple and fresh ingredients like mushroom and spinach in a low fat cream sauce and there you have it: a fully satisfying meal that is hearty, healthy and yummy.
Buon Appetito! :-)

Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients:

8 fresh cheese-stuffed ravioli
6-8 mushrooms thinly sliced
1 bag fresh spinach leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup half and half
a pinch of nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to your taste
freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, to your taste
extra virgin olive oil, to your taste


Method:


Boil water in a deep pot. Add a handful of salt then cook ravioli for 10 min. Meanwhile, in lightly oiled heated skillet, cook garlic for 30 sec, add mushrooms and saute for 5 min. Then mix in spinach leaves, cover skillet and let it cook for 5-7 min. Uncover and lower heat. Stir in half and half and season with nutmeg, salt and black pepper. Let it simmer for 2 min. Remove ravioli from water and mix in sauce gently. Serve hot with grated parmigiano reggiano and drizzle some olive oil.

Nutrition Facts: If you like carbs and you're weight-conscious, you don't have to kick them out of your life. All you need is portion control and  nutritious ingredients; you can still enjoy them without feeling too guilty.