This lightened-up Stuffed Manicotti and Alfredo Sauce is an easy meal with vegetables that’s sure to become a family favorite!
Do you set resolutions in the new year? I admit that I’m big on goals. A few of mine include making wiser food choices and helping/encouraging my kids and husband to do the same.
Since I’m the primary cook at our house, I count myself responsible for providing my family with yummy meals that are good for them too. I’m always on the lookout for fantastic healthy meal recipes.
Now, I’m not going to lie and say that my kids love veggies. They struggle to get their daily intake. So I try to make eating greens a delight by sneaking them into our favorite dishes, like today’s irresistible dinner.
We are pasta fanatics around our house! Because we want to keep enjoying the foods we love in this new year while still living up to our resolution of eating better, I like to challenge myself to re-create our best-loved recipes in a lighter fashion without my biggest critics even knowing. 🙂
I’m proud to announce that today’s stuffed manicotti passed with flying colors! And though I couldn’t pull the wool over their eyes in regards to the veggies, the kids didn’t mind them because they were paired perfectly with delicious reduced-fat, seasoned-to-perfection, ricotta cheese, manicotti noodles, and a lightened-up Alfredo sauce!
Not a soul at the dinner table could resist these puppies. 🙂
I love keeping C&W vegetables on hand in the freezer because they’re so easy to just throw into my bowls and skillets during meal preparation. No chopping required, so this busy mama approves!
I stocked up on them at Walmart during my last grocery trip. With 25 varieties of C&W Vegetables, there’s something for everyone and no excuse not to add them to the menu!Make sure you add C&W Vegetables to your shopping list and don’t forget to take advantage of the $.50 off of 1 package of C&W vegetables Ibotta coupon good at select Walmart stores. (while supplies last).
I just love when I’m the dinnertime hero, and this particular evening I was championed as such. 🙂 And I felt an added measure of pride because my kids actually ate peas and spinach and liked it!
We didn’t even miss the heavy cream or the extra cheese in the Alfredo sauce! If you’re not opposed to spice, we found that these were absolute heaven when drizzled with a little Sriracha sauce. But they can certainly hold their own without it.
{STUFFED MANICOTTI}
Makes 11
Printable Recipe
Printable Recipe
Alfredo Sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves minced garlic
2 c. reduced fat milk (2%)
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. flour
1 c. grated or flaked parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Filling:
2 c. part-skim ricotta
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. mozzarella, grated
1/3 c. C&W peas
1/4 c. C&W spinach
About 11 Manicotti, cooked according to package directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a 9″x13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Cook Manicotti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring, for about a minute. Whisk in milk, then whisk in flour (completely to ensure there are no lumps), salt and pepper. Allow mixture to come to a low boil while whisking, until thickened. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl, stir together ricotta, oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper, mozzarella, peas, and spinach.
Fill manicotti with cheese and veggie mixture. Pour Alfredo sauce over, cover pan in foil, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through.
This is a winner of a dinner! I hope you enjoy this better-for-you stuffed pasta with lightened homemade Alfredo Sauce as much as we do!
What are your best recipes and tips for sneaking veggies into your kids’ meals? I’d love to hear in the comments section below!
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and C&W®, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #premiumveggies http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
Chelsea
www.lifewithmylittles.com
Send followup to tljwlj2@suddenlink.net please not gmail