Core Pasta with Tuna, Lemon and Capers (hot or cold)

This zesty tuna dish can be served hot topped with a little parmesan or cold as a salad

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500g pasta
• 1 x 425g tin tuna in springwater, drained
• 100g frozen tuna kernels
• 150g frozen beans
• 10 basil leaves, sliced fine
• 1 TB capers
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• rind of 1 lemon, grated fine
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach

Method:
Boil pasta for 8 minutes, then add frozen vegetables and boil for another 3 mins.
Drain pasta and vegies, leaving in sieve.
In pot add tuna, capers, basil, garlic, lemon and spring onion and stire.
Add pasta and stir through, then add the spinach and stir through.
If making salad, allow to cool before stiring the spinach through.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 26.5pts or 4.5pts serving 6Add 3 tsp of parmesan for 0.5 pts

Almost Core Spaghetti Bake

Note: Pictured serving is 1/4 aka "hungry man serving" which is 8 pts!

Serves: 4 - 6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 3 gloves garlic, diced (or crushed garlic from jar)
• 1 large onion, diced
• red capsicum, diced, about 1/2 cup
• 400g very lean mince meat
• carrot, grated, about 1 cup
• 1 x 420g can diced tomatoes
• 3 rounded TB of tomato paste
• 2-3 tsp dried basil
• 1 TB chicken stock
• 300 g dry spaghetti
• 30 g (1/3 cup) of strong grated parmesan
• salt and pepper

Method:
Spray a large non stick fry pan with oil.
Fry onion, garlic and capsicum for 3 minutes, then add the mince.
Meanwhile, break the spaghetti in half and boil for about 8 minutes, until done, but still a tad firm. Drain and put aside.
When mince is browned, add all ingredients except parmesan and pasta and simmer for 5 mins.
Turn heat off and mix the pasta through the mince mix.
Spray a springform pan generously with oil (or use a rectangular cake tin or baking dish).
Pour the spaghetti into the oiled tin.
Firm the spaghetti down with a potato masher or spoon.
Sprinkle top with parmesan.
Bake at 180*C for 35 mins. If using a springform pan, put on a baking tray to catch any drips.
Sit for 5 mins before cutting.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 33 pts for the whole recipe, or 5.5 pts, serving 6

On Core, you'll just need to count the parmesan at 3.5 pts for whole recipe, 0.5 pts each serving 6

CORE Lentil Bolognaise Sauce (V or L)

Suitable for Vegan Vegetarians (no cheese) or Lacto Vegetarians (with Parmesan)

Pictured 75 g bow tie pasta mixed with 1 cup beans, 1 cup lentil bolgnaise, topped with 2 tsp parmesan (L V)

Also nice as a side dish, or served with rice

Serves: 4 - 6 (makes about 5 cups)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 2 cubes frozen spinach, thawed
• 2/3 cup dry lentils, rinsed
  (either split lentils or whole if you can find them)
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• 2 cups water
• 1 400g tin of diced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tsp Italian herbs
• 1 tsp dried basil

Method:

Heat a nonstick pan and add 1/4 cup of water (if you don't have non-stick add a few tsp of oil)
Sautee the onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini, capsicum, spinach for 5 minutes.
Add everything else and simmer for about 20 minutes until nice and thick.

Serve lentil bolognaise sauce over your favourite pasta. I prefer to add 1 cup of green beans to my pasta to bulk out

Optional - add 2 tsp of parmesan for 0.5pts

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is approx 5.5 pts, or about 1 pt a serve

Pasta is 3.5 pts for 75g dry weight
So, bolognaise sauce (1) + 75g pasta (3.5) + beans (0) = 4.5 pts or 5 pts with parmesan

Notes:

• Lentils - should always be rinsed before cooking as they often have dust and sometimes will have small stones. Split lentils reduce down to mush, which is not a bad thing, but I prefer the chewier texture of whole lentils which I get in a bulk bin from an organics shop for about $4 a kilo.
• Tinned cherry tomatoes - are a great alternative to diced tomatoes. I use Woolworth/Safeway Select brand, I have not seen them in Coles. Please note that the insides of cooked cherry tomatoes are hotter when you bite itno them than you may expect.

Recipe thanks to Fran, aka 10-12AGAIN

Core Chicken, Spinach and Ricotta Pasta

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup cold roast chicken, skin removed and chopped
• 4 cubes frozen spinach
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen mint peas
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 10 large basil leaves, shredded
• 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, shredded
• 2 tsp seeded mustard
• 1 x 250g tub Perfect Italiano Extra Light Ricotta
• 1/3 cup nonfat milk
• 200g dry pasta shells

Method:

Saute onion and capsicum in olive oil in a lage pan.
Add frozen vegies, and chicken and stir until warmed through.
Add rest of ingredients except pasta and stir through.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in pan of boiling water, drain, and add to the chicken ricotta mix.
Stir through and serve.

Optional - top with 1 tsp Parmesan cheese and 1 tsp almond flakes

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 23 points (5.5 points per serve)

CORE Chicken, Ricotta & Rocket Pasta

This colourful pasta tastes as good as it looks.
Mild "creamy" ricotta sauce gets its flavour from the rocket

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 300 g chicken mince
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 red capsicum, cut in strips
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 250 g pasta (spiral or penne)
• 1 large carrot (at lest 2cm thick), peeled
• 2 small/1 large zucchini
• 1/2 cup mint peas, frozen
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 1/2 bag rocket (about 50g)
• 1/2 a 250 g tub Perfect Italiano Light Ricotta
• 2 small or 1 large spring onion, sliced
• 2 tsp seeded mustard
• 3 tsp finely chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c non-fat milk

Method:
Using a vegetable peeler, make ribbons of carrot and zucchini, ensuring some green skin is visible on each zucchini ribbon. Put ribbons in base of strainer/colander.
Heat a large frypan with the olive oil.
Fry the onion, garlic and capsicum until the onions go clear, then add chicken mince.
Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and add pasta.
When chicken is cooked (chicken mince does not brown, it will still be white), add frozen vegies and a few TB of water to steam them.
When pasta is al dente (around 9 mins), pour into strainer over vegie ribbons, give a good shake and straight back to pan. Stir through rocket and set aside for a couple of minutes while you make the pasta sauce.
Add ricotta, milk, mustard, basil, spring onion and some cracked pepper to the chicken/veg mix and stir through.
Add sauce to pasta and stir through.
Serve immediately.

Optional - add 2 tsp of parmesan cheese for 0.5 pts (well worth it)

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 25 points

CORE Apple Cannelloni Pudding

Serves: 6 (12 cannelloni)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 410g can sliced apples (I used Woolworths/Safeway brand) or 1 1/2 c lightly steamed fresh apples
• 12 cannelloni shells
• 1 x 250 g tub light ricotta
• 4 TB Splenda
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups non-fat milk
• 4 tsp (1 TB) vanilla essence
• cinnamon

Method:

Slice the apples thinly and add to large bowl. Add 1 TB of Splenda, 1 tsp cinnamon and ricotta and mix well with a spoon.
Stuff mix into cannelloni shells and lay into a small square or rectangular baking dish (flat if you can). You can try and do this with a spoon, but hands are quicker, easier but much messier!
Some of the ricotta will drip back into the bowl, that's fine, as long as there's no apple chunks left over.
Add 3 eggs, vanilla essence and 3 TB of splenda to the ricotta and beat.
Warm the milk, but don't boil it. I did 2 mins on high in 1200W micro.
Add the warm milk to the eggs and beat until there is 2 or 3 cm of fluff on the top.
Pour over the cannelloni and sprinkle with more cinnamon
Bake at 180*C for 50 minutes. The pudding is done when you jiggle the dish and it doesn't jiggle back.

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 21 points

CORE Beef Pasta w Hidden Vegies

This is essentially good old Spaghetti Bolognaise with a few vegies chucked in .
Shown served with 2 tsp of parmesan cheese (0.5tsp)

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 400g premium beef mince
• 1 tsp garlic, crushed
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 tsp italian herbs mix
• 1 x 700 g plain jar pasta tomato sauce
  (eg Sugo Bello - tall jar, often in "international foods" section or at your continental deli
• 1 x 500g packet dry pasta
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 cup frozen beans
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 3 carrots, grated
• 1 cubes of frozen spinach

Method:

Cook the mince, garlic and onion in a few TB of water.
Turn down heat and add pasta sauce and herbs and warm through. Add grated veg and defrosted spinach.
Meanwhile, boil a large pan of water and add pasta.
Boil for 6 minutes, then add frozen vegies and cook for another 4-5 mins.
Drain and add back to the pan. Pour over the tomato sauce and stir through

Optional - serve with 2 tsp of parmesan cheese (0.5 tsp)

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 38 points

CORE Spinach & Ricotta Pasta Bake

Suitable for Lacto Vegetarians

Serves: 3 - 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 250g frozen spinach, thawed
• 2 grated carrot
• grated zucchini
• 125 g light ricotta
• 150 g pasta (dry weight), cooked, drained and rinsed in cold water
• 1/2 jar tomato based pasta sauce
• Pepper and salt

Optional - grated cheese

Note - this dish is best made in individual serving dishes (ramekins or pudding bowls). If making one large dish, mix 2 eggs through cold pasta to get it to stick together

Method:
Squeeze excess moisture from spinach. Mix zucchini, carrot, ricotta and season with pepper and salt.
Spread the pasta in bottom of baking dish / ramekins
Spread spinach mix over pasta, then top with pasta sauce.
Pour over the remaining pasta sauce.
If using cheese, sprinkle over top
Cover and bake at 200*C for 35 mins.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 8.5 points (add 3 points if using egg)

CORE Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni (L)

Suitable for Lacto Vegetarians

See also: Beef Cannelloni and Spinach & Ricotta Pasta Bake

Serves: 4 (12 cannelloni)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500g frozen spinach, thawed
• 3 grated carrot
• grated zucchini
• 1 x 250g light ricotta
• 1 x 200g packet instant cannelloni
• 1 jar tomato based pasta sauce
• Pepper and salt
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg

Optional - grated cheese

Method:

Squeeze excess moisture from spinach. Mix zucchini, carrot, ricotta, nutmeg and season with pepper and salt.
Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce in bottom of baking dish.
Stuff mix into the cannelloni shells and place them in dish.
Pour over the remaining pasta sauce.
If using cheese, sprinkle over top
Cover and bake at 200*C for 35 mins.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 12 points (1 pt per Cannelloni)

CORE Beef Cannelloni

Also see Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

Serves: 4 (12 cannelloni)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 500g premium beef mince
• 1 grated carrot
• 200g shredded spinach
• 1 x 200g packet instant cannelloni
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1 jar tomato based pasta sauce
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed/grated

Optional - grated cheese (to brown) or top with parmesan when serving

Method:

Fry mince with garlic and onion. Take off heat
Mix carrot, spinach and tomato paste.
Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce in bottom of baking dish.
Stuff mince mix into the cannelloni shells and place them in dish.
Pour over the remaining pasta sauce.
If using cheese, sprinkle over top
Cover and bake at 200*C for 35 mins.

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 26 points (2 pt per cannelloni)

CORE Smoked Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

This colourful pasta has a very subtle flavour. If you don't have smoked chicken, try with bacon for a stronger flavour, it's still nice.

Leftovers are great cold as a salad

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 250g Smoked Chicken Breast Fillet, skinless, sliced thin
• 250g dry pasta
• 2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
• 200g green beans
• handful of baby spinach
• 150g low fat creamed style cottage cheese (I use WW)
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1tsp wholegrain mustard
• 8 basil leaves shredded (or dried)
• 2 spring onions
• can of asparagus cuts
• Coloured vegies - some bright vegies are needed to break up the green. I used 100g frozen corn and a grated carrot. You could use red capsicum, halved cherry tomatoes etc.

Optional - Parmesan

Method:

Boil water in a large saucepan, add pasta (note - I assume pasta is 9/10 minute to cook pasta, adjust timing if is the quick 6 minute type)
After 6 minutes, add broccoli, corn and beans and cook for 3-4 mins
Pour vegies and pasta into a strainer, rinse with a kettle-full of boining water (stops sticking together) and leave to drain.
In same (now empty) pot, add cottage, milk, and mustard and stir over low heat.
Add chicken, spring onions, basil and cracked pepper to season.
Add pasta back to pan and stir vigourously to mix, then add asparagus and stir gently for 2 mins.
Turn heat off and stir through the spinach and grated carrot just prior to serving.

Optional - serve with 2 tsp Parmesan for 0.5pts

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 21 pts, or 5 per serve.

CORE Pasta Bolognaise Bake / Mock Lasagna

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Fairly easy

Points on Core: some for the white sauce, but minimal

This dish is best served as individual servings in ramekins or soup bowls holding 2 cups. If making a large dish, please let cool for 5-10 mins before serving.

Ingredients:

Base

• 300g of small size roundish or flatish pasta. eg elbows, penne raviolini. Large pasta like shells do not work, there is too much room for air.
• 2 eggs

Sauce

• 600g lean beef mince
• 1 onion
• garlic - 1tsp
• tomato based pasta sauce
• 2 tsp olive oil

Topping - 2 Options (both have some Points)

Option 1 - white sauce

• 1 cup Skim milk
• 3 TB of flour (1.5 point - you won't need it all)
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

Option 2 - grated tasty cheese

• 20g Coon Extra Light Tasty Cheese (1.5pt) for WWers, can add more for others.

Method:

Boil water and cook pasta until firm and not quite cooked (about 2 mins from al dente)
Drain and rinse well in cold water until pasta is cold. (This stops pasta sticking together) Leave to drain for at least 15 minutes
Meat layer
Heat your olive oil, add onion, garlic and mince and cook well.
Add pasta sauce and stir through. You may need to cook off some moisture - with lid off, have pasta sauce simmering away and stirring until the liquid drops a little below the solids and little bumps of meat stick make it look lumpy. Put aside to cool.
Option 1 - white sauce
If you don't have a nonstick saucepan, I suggest you do this in the microwave.
Mix flour with a few TB of water until it makes a thick paste which is more liquid than solid.
Heat the milk until it bubbles, then turn down low. Add about 3/4 of the flour paste and the mustard to the warm milk and whisk through. Simmer milk mix, strirring often until it starts to thicken - we want it to get to a consistency like cream. If after simmering for about 5 mins, it isn't thick enough, add the last bit of the flour paste and stir as it thickens.
Building the bake:
If making a large dish, you need eggs to bind the pasta (for individual serves I skip this). Whisk eggs in large bowl and toss (cold) pasta through. Pour into casserole or ramekins and push down gently with a spatula (potato mashers are great in round ramekins).
Pour over the meat layer, smoothing across the pasta
Add final layer - the white sauce or grated cheese (or both for something truly special)
Bake at 180*C for 20-30 mins until top is browned.
Allow so sit and serve with salad.

CORE Carbonara Pasta

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 350g dry pasta
• 200g rindless bacon, fat removed, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup frozen corn
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 c skim milk powder
• basil, chopped (and/or dried Italian herbs)

Method:

In a nonstick pan, "fry" onion and bacon in a few TB of water.
When bacon begins to brown, add frozen vegies and a little more water, cook for 3 or 4 mins and put aside.
Boil water and add pasta, cook to al dente.
Meanwhile, mix milk powder with 1/2 cup water and the eggs.
When pasta is cooked, drain well and return to the pan. Add bacon and vegie mix and the egg mixture over medium-low heat until the egg mixture is almost set.
Stir in the basil and pepper.
Serve immediately