Spinach & Cheese Canelloni

What could be more delightful than creamy, rich canelloni with a decadent Bechamel sauce? ...When it's done with ingredients that are very South Beach Diet friendly - Phase Two that is. Often enough, using low fat ingredients or whole wheat substitutes for regular flour can make a very washed out version of amazing dishes. But not this time!!!

But, let me back up a little (and digress alot!). Yesterday, I went to the local Chapters Book Store (one of my favorite haunts back in Toronto) to see what the selection was like for cookbooks. Actually, I was looking for local books featuring regional recipes, but naturally I got sidetracked by a beautiful cover ...and yes - I know what they say about not judging a book by its cover. What I discovered was Cucina Ebraica, Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen with the most ambrosial looking pumpkin ravioli with sage and hazelnuts. But I'll save that recipe for another day. Joyce Goldstein has written some other wonderful cookbooks and this one is no exception. I love the recipes, the beautiful photos and the vivid snippets of Jewish live in Italy.

Before hitting the bookstore, I had just bought some wholewheat pasta sheets and some quark cheese (think smooth ricotta with less calories) and some spinach and was going to head home to look through some of Joanna's cookbooks (mine are still packed and in storage), when lo and behold - there's a recipe for spinach and ricotta rolls and another recipe for Salsa Besciamella (somehow it sounds even richer and creamier in Italian).

So...without further ado....here's my Presto Pasta Night entry - the very South Beach Diet, Phase Two friendly....

Spinach & Quark Cannelloni with Bechamel Sauce

Enjoyment without guilt - what could be better! What are you making for Presto Pasta Night?