Weight Watchers Spinach & Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Now that I've made this recipe a few times, I thought it was time to post it.  It is a weight watchers friendly recipe, and only has 8 points per serving, which is great.  Although it's a healthy recipe, you don't feel like you are sacrificing the taste because these stuffed shells taste like a total splurge.  This is definitely a go-to recipe when you are craving Italian food!

Ingredients

Spinach, mushrooms, and onions

Filling mixture

Mix it up!

Stuffed Shells

Baked and ready to eat!

Print

Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 24 jumbo pasta shells (8 ounces)
• 3 cups prepared jarred marinara sauce
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 2 pounds fresh spinach trimmed and washed
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 2 cups fat free ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg white
• ⅔ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup fresh basil finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cook shells until just tender, according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
3. Spray a large nonstick skillet with non-fat cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
4. Add spinach in batches and toss with tongs until wilted. Drain in a colander, pressing out excess moisture with the back of a spoon. Let cool. Set aside.
5. Combine ricotta, basil, oregano, garlic, breadcrumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan and nutmeg in a bowl; mix well. Add the reserved spinach and mushroom mixture and season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg white.
6. Stuff each of the reserved shells with a generous 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture.
7. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer.
8. Top with the remaining 2 cups of the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is golden and the shells are heated through, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 45 minute(s)
Entire recipe makes 6 servings
Serving size is 4 shells
Each serving = 8 Points +
PER SERVING: 269 calories; 5 g fat; 48 g carbohydrates; 27 g protein; 7 g fiber