Last week, we talked about simple substitutions that you could make to improve the nutrient profile of a dish without sacrificing texture or flavor. Want to try some of those techniques for yourself? Whip up this simple pasta dish today!

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups cooked white beans (navy, Great Northern, or canellini), rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/8 tsp pepper, cayenne, or Tabasco (or to taste)
• 8 ounces dry pasta, cooked

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine the beans and milk in a blender and puree until smooth.
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients (except pasta) and microwave until heated through.
4. Mix sauce with cooked pasta and  pour into a baking dish. Now would be a great time to add any other cooked vegetables that you may want to have in this dish.
5. Bake pasta for 15 minutes, then serve.

Nutrition Information:

• Serves 6.
• Each 3/4 cup serving: 239 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 242 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 12 g protein, 4 g fiber.

Recipe by Cheryl Sullivan, MA, RDLooking for more recipe resources? Check out our recipe archive and our Nutrition Education Store!