Recipes for the South Beach Diet or Other Good Carb Diets

1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 can (6-1/8 ounces) tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
8 whole-wheat manicotti shells, cooked and drained

Marinara Sauce:
1-1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1-1/4 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a medium skillet, sauté zucchini, onion, and garlic in oil for 3 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in tuna. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, and basil until blended. Stir cheese mixture into tuna mixture; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place drained manicotti shells in a bowl of cold water. Set aside. For marinara sauce, in a medium saucepan, stir together tomatoes, tomato sauce, and herbs. Heat to a boil; remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and process in 2 batches until nearly smooth. Spray a 13×9x2-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce over bottom of dish. Blot manicotti shells carefully with paper towels. Generously pipe filling into shells. In baking dish, arrange manicotti in a row. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti; cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes; uncover and bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until sauce is bubbly. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

Filed under: Seafood, Main Dishes, Phase 2