Naan Pizza with Asparagus

Another favorite of ours from Runner's World magazine! We first tried this about four years ago, and we still enjoy it.

Asparagus is rich in bone-building vitamin K, immune-boosting vitamin C, and heart-healthy folic acid. Canadian bacon adds big flavor with little damage—an ounce has about one third of the calories of regular bacon and 10 fewer fat grams.

• 2 9-inch store-bought naan (Check the sodium levels, some are very high!)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup prepared pesto
• 3 slices Canadian bacon, cut into thin strips
• 8 asparagus spears (bottom ends snapped off and discarded), cut into 11/2-inch lengths
• 1/2 cup (or about 2 ounces) grated fontina cheese (we use Gruyere)

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425° F. Place naan on a baking sheet. Mix ricotta and pesto and dollop onto breads.

Toss asparagus with oil and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Evenly distribute spears, along with Canadian bacon, over naan.

Bake until breads are warm throughout and asparagus is bright green, about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven; divide the fontina equally and top each naan with a portion of the cheese. Return them to oven and continue to bake until breads are crisp and cheese has melted, about five minutes longer.

Cut each pizza into quarters, serving each person two slices. Serves four.

I recommend serving these with a big salad or a side of vegetables. Naan Pizzas are really good and it's easy to eat more than a proper serving (plus I usually double or triple the recipe for the three of us and so Ron will have leftovers for work).

Though ricotta is healthy in many ways it is also high in saturated fats, so watch serving sizes. Part-skim versions can be very tasty. Some are better than others, and I've noticed that the texture varies from brand to brand.

Action Item: Try making your own pesto!

For further reading: The Health Benefits of Asparagus.
 

Rocco's Fettuccine Alfredo

This is one of our tried and true recipes. I ripped it from the pages of Runner's World magazine in
April 2010, and the page is showing it's wear. Actually it's about to fall apart!

8 ounces whole wheat fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
pinch of ground nutmeg
3/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth (once I used skim milk and added a little salt instead)
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup 5 percent Greek yogurt (I typically use the 0% yogurt)
       salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine; cook according to package directions. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook two minutes. Combine cornstarch and nutmeg in a small bowl; whisk in chick broth until smooth. Pour into sauté pan, raise the heat, and bring sauce to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the cheese until melted. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in yogurt until smooth. Toss fettuccine with Alfredo sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with remaining cheese. Serves four.

Calories per serving: 336
Carbs: 47 G
Protein: 18 G
Fat: 10 G

Recipe by Rocco Dispirito.

We serve this with a side of green veggies and usually some crusty bread! At times, I even add veggie sausage because my son loves it, but veggie sausage adds lots of sodium.


Action item: Try this recipe if you're looking for a new pasta dish, and let me know how it works for you!

For further reading: Runners World recipes