a successful meal share!

This is a recipe that I feel obligated to share- it was just to delicious to keep to myself! Oh, and get what else, all you dieters, it's healthy! I actually got it off of some healthy living site- I'll post the nutritional info too!

Healthy Sausage Stuffed Shells

This is what mine looked like before I put them in the oven, I didn't get an after picture because we were too hungry, and they were too delicious! Nathan (who is known for hating all foods that are healthy for him) ate half the pan himself!

Prep time: about 30 minutes

Start to finish: about 1 hour and 20 minutes

Makes: 12 servings of 2 shells each

Ingredients:
 24 jumbo pasta shells (from 12-oz box)
 1 lb lean Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
 1 container (15 oz) light ricotta cheese
 2 cups shredded reduced-fat Italian cheese blend (8 oz)
 1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
 3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (1 medium)
 1 jar (25.5 oz)Italian herb pasta sauce


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.

2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, crumble sausage. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain.

3. In medium bowl, stir ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the Italian cheese blend, the spinach and basil until well mixed. Stir in carrots and sausage.

4. Spread about 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce over bottom of baking dish. Spoon about 3 tablespoonfuls sausage mixture into each pasta shell. Arrange shells, filled sides up, on sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce over stuffed shells. Spray 15-inch piece of foil with cooking spray; cover shells with foil.

5. Bake 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Italian cheese blend. Bake uncovered 5 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.


Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 290 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 720mg; Total Carbohydrate 33g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 7g); Protein 19g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 70%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 25%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 1/2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 MyPyramid Servings: 1/2 c Dairy *% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.