Healthier Spaghetti Pie

As a child I enjoyed spending time in the kitchen preparing meals for my family. The ability to cook a meal made me feel mature and accomplished for my young age. One of the recipes in particular I remember preparing was Spaghetti Pie.  The recipe was probably appealing because it was a creative combination of two of my favorite foods – pizza and spaghetti.

The original recipe includes ample amounts of cheese (mozzarella and ricotta), ground beef, eggs, butter, and pasta.  The combination of these ingredients contribute to a higher calorie meal.  The good news is with a few simple ingredient substitutions I am still able to enjoy one of my favorite childhood meals.

One of the most notable recipe substitutions I included for this recipe was including ground turkey in place of ground beef.  To add more fiber I used whole wheat pasta instead of regular pasta.  For a lower fat outcome egg whites were added to replace the whole eggs.  Lastly I skipped the ricotta cheese and made a greek yogurt mixture instead.

This recipe is a perfect meal to make in advance and warm up at a later time.  An important aspect to ensure healthy eating is meal planning.  For some people successful meal planning includes preparing meals in advance on a weekly basis or every few days.  To prepare ahead for this recipe you can either prepare the recipe completely as per directions before storing in the fridge OR prepare the recipe up until you bake in oven.  For the latter option the remainder of the recipe could be completed at the desired time you plan to consume the meal.  Either way you will have a delicious meal nearly ready to serve at meal time!

Enjoy!
Your family’s dietitian,
Kristen Smith

Healthier Spaghetti Pieby Kristen SmithPrep Time: 25 minutesCook Time: 30 minutesKeywords: entree

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Ingredients (6 servings)

• 5 or 6 ounces of uncooked whole grain spaghetti pasta
• 2 tablespoons light buttery spread (ie. Smart Balance light)
• 2 egg whites
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• ¼ cup mozzarella
• A few basil leaves, chopped
• ¾ cup low fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup raw spinach, chopped
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2-3 cup spaghetti sauce
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Optional: onions, pepper

Equipment needed – 10 inch pie pan

Instructions1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, spray pie pan with non-stick cooking spray2. Cook and drain spaghetti per box instructions. Stir in butter spread and egg whites while spaghetti is hot. Form spaghetti mixture into a crust in pie pan.3. While cooking pasta in a skillet cook the ground turkey (and onions or peppers if desired). Drain excess liquid and stir in tomato sauce.4. For yogurt mixture combine yogurt, spinach, and parmesan cheese. Spread over spaghetti crust and then top with turkey mixture.5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Add mozzarella cheese to top and bake for another 5-10 minutes.Nutrition:Serving size: 1/6 pie • Servings: 6 • Calories: 338.5 kcal • Protein: 28.3 g • Sodium: 694.0 mg • Carbs: 28.8 g • Fat: 12.7 g • Fiber: 4.9 g • Sugars: 1.1 g

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