The Best Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes Under 500 Calories
By Adrian T. Cheng

Preparing a delicious pasta dish is a tough job, especially when you're counting calories. Everything is a factor to consider - the type of pasta, the sauce and most especially the toppings. But don't worry - here are easy low-calorie dishes that don't compromise taste:

Tropical Pesto Pasta

Calorie Count: 465 calories

What you need:

• 2 cups spaghetti, cooked al-dente
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 cups loosely-packed baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup firmly-packed basil leaves
• 1/2 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese, sliced into cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

In a food processor, grate Romano cheese until coarse, about 30 seconds. Add garlic, and process again until well-combined with cheese. Add baby spinach, basil leaves, walnuts, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and process again until mixture becomes a thick paste. Carefully pour olive oil over the mixture and process until oil is integrated. Place cooked pasta in a serving bowl and top with sauce. Toss to coat.

Tomato and Beans Penne

Calorie Count: 460 calories

What you need:

• 1 cup penne pasta, cooked al-dente
• 3 1/2 cups Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 2 1/4 cups cannellini beans
• 1 1/4 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a large non-stick pan, mix tomatoes and cannellini beans and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Add spinach to the pan; cook and stir for 2 minutes more until leaves have wilted. Place cooked penne on a serving dish and pour sauce over it. Top with feta cheese.

Light Zucchini Pasta

Calorie Count: 290 calories

What you need:

• 1 cup linguine pasta, cooked al-dente
• 3 zucchini, shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and saute garlic until browned. Add a handful of zucchini and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rest of the zucchini and continue cooking for about 3 minutes more. Place cooked pasta in a serving bowl and toss with cooked zucchini, yogurt and Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and black pepper before serving.

Now you can enjoy a delicious pasta dish without the guilt and without counting calories - try any of these healthy low-calorie pasta dishes now!

Adrian T. Cheng is a food blogger who promotes healthy eating. He has written numerous posts and articles about natural herbs and spices, shared countless of delicious and healthy recipes and reviewed kitchen accessories that are affordable yet of quality. You can view Adrian's posts about going green and other nutrition tips and tricks [http://www.kuisiware.com/] on his page.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Adrian_T._Cheng/2109020
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Best-Low-Calorie-Pasta-Recipes-Under-500-Calories&id=9670884