It is not low calorie by any means.
It may be a good food to practice mindful eating with.
A side of vegetables is a good accompaniment.
There are numerous sites that list how to make Olive Garden recipes. I have not tried them all. This one - 5 cheese Ziti Al forno - from Olive Garden is one of my favorites to order from them. Making it at home is much less expensive.
I did not know whether the taste would be the same or not. That is one reason I wanted to try this recipe. I have to say, the taste is spot on! And delicious too!
Five-Cheese Ziti Al Forno from Taste of Home
Total time: Prep 20 minutes, Bake: 30 minutes plus letting it cool once cooked
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
16 ounces ziti or small tube pasta
1 1/2 jars marinara sauce - see notes
1 15 ounce jar Alfredo sauce
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 cup Italian blend cheese - Kroger brand
1 tablespoon basil - squeezable variety
Topping
1/2 cup grated parmeasan cheese
1/2 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
Minced fresh parsley or basil, optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine marinara sauce, Alfredo sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, ricotta, provolone, and Romano cheeses. Heat over medium heat until sauce begins to simmer and cheeses are melted. Stir in cooked pasta; Line 13x9-inch dish with parchment paper. Pour mixture into baking dish. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
In a small bowl, stir together Parmesan, bread crumbs, garlic and olive oil; sprinkle over pasta.
Bake, uncovered, until mixture is bubbly and topping is golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil if desired. Freeze option: Cool unbaked casserole; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover casserole with foil; bake 50 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°, 15-20 minutes longer.
Kitchen Notes: I used an Aldi's brand marina sauce.
It had only tomatoes, onions, garlic as it's ingredients. Did not add garlic to my recipe.
Original recipe calls for 1/2 cup Romano cheese and 1/2 cup Fontina cheese. Could not find either in the grocery store. Substituted the Italian blend Kroger brand instead of the two varieties.
Nutrition Facts 1 cup: 449 calories, 15g fat (8g saturated fat), 32mg cholesterol, 960mg sodium, 59g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 4g fiber), 21g protein.
I found this really easy to make. Hope you let me know what you think of it.
As I mentioned in the beginning, this would be a dish to practice mindful eating with. Listening to your body before eating, as you eat, and stopping when your body says it is satisfied.
Interested in learning more about mindful eating and how it can help you enjoy your food more? https://www.nutritionandhealthworks.com/weight
Juanita
It makes a difference to know what clients who have worked with me think of their experience and how they achieved success. If you are wanting to achieve weight loss, this is what Paula had to say about working with me.
"I am not fixated on food, and not thinking of food as good or bad.
Since working with Juanita, I have lost weight. The change from focusing so much on food is even better.
Juanita has provided personalized care and education on behaviors surrounding food. She gives individual attention. Has provided great ideas.
The benefits I have achieved since working with Juanita are:
I have lost weight - weight loss of 20 lbs
Change in the way I view food
Slowly changing my food and eating behaviors"
Paula