Creamy Spinach & Penne Pasta

My sister Melanie emailed me this recipe. It comes from Cuisine at Home Recipes, http://www.cuisinerecipes.com/. The dish is simple and made completely in one pot. The flavor was great, but I didn’t really care for the grainy texture of the ricotta. If you like ricatta cheese, its worth a shot!

Makes: 4 cups (2 servings)

Total time: 20 minutes

4 oz dry whole wheat penne pasta

6 oz frozen or fresh spinach

½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. minced lemon zest

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 Tbsp pine nuts toasted

Bring a medium pot of water to boil for the penne and spinach.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

If using frozen spinach, add it to the pot during the last 2 minutes of cooking time, stirring to break up clumps. If using fresh spinach, drain pasta over a colander filled with the fresh spinach.

Transfer drained pasta and spinach to a serving bowl.

Stir in ricotta, Parmesan, zest, salt, and pepper; garnish with toasted pine nuts.

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 357 cal; 11g total fat (4g sat); 24mg chol; 598mg sodium; 48g total carbs (1g sugars); 8g fiber; 20g protein .

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