South Beach Style Presto Pasta Nights

I had planned an elaborate (and rich) pasta dinner last night and I intend on making it tonight, but I spent the day looking at Sharron's fabulous photos from her stay in Chile (wait til you see the post we're working on with all the dishes she was supposed to share while she was away - better late than never).

You can tell I'm obsessed with pasta now that I've started the Presto Pasta Nights event every Friday. Relax, next week I promise more variety. But for now...pasta rules!

I don't want South Beach Dieters to worry, either. There are lots of wonderful, SBD friendly options, like this one that I whipped up in a hurry. It starts with some marinara sauce. I had some of my own Lazybones version in the freezer, but you can choose your own favorite ready made canned/bottled variety. It's easy to make many of the fabulous dishes around (including, actually ESPECIALLY, the ones on Presto Pasta Nights Round Up #1 and wait until you see round up #2 on Friday) more South Beach friendly. Here's how:

1. Use a multigrain or whole wheat pasta.

2. Use low fat cheeses and creams. (Use a less than the "regular" recipe calls for and add a little pasta cooking water).

3. If you're going to make meaty versions (like this one), use turkey rather than pork. That goes for smoked sausages or ground meat. And, of course, shrimp is always a great option.

South Beach Friendly Pasta Recipes

Marinara with Spinach, Mushrooms & Smoked Sausages

Spaghetti with Olives & Grape Tomatoes

Fusilli with Spinach, Ricotta & Chickpeas

Spaghettini Putanesca