Stuffed Shells & My Philosophy

Time for a recipe!  I tried this out the other day, and it tasted great.  I loved it.  My toddler loved it.  Life was good.  Who doesn't love pasta stuffed with cheese?

Disclaimer:  Totally not the ones I made, but they look very, very similar :)

12 dried jumbo shells

1 cup fat-free or low-fat ricotta cheese


4 ounces (about 1.25 cups) shredded low-fat mozzarella


3 tbs grated regular or reduced fat parmesan cheese


1 large egg white


1.5 tsp chopped fresh parsley


1/4 tsp garlic powder


salt and pepper


2 cups low-fat marinara sauce



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.


Place a sheet of wax paper large enough to hold 12 shells on a flat work surface.


Mix ricotta, mozzarella, 2 tbs parmesan, egg white, parsley, and garlic powder. 

Season w/ salt and pepper to taste.


Place shells on wax paper and spoon the ricotta mixture evenly among them, about 2 heaping tbs each.


Evenly spread about 1/2 c marinara sauce in a 10-in round or an 11x7-in ovenproof baking dish.


Lay stuffed shells side by side in one layer, open side up.


Spoon remaining marinara over the top and sprinkle remaining parmesan evenly over the marinara.


Cover w/ foil and bake for 20-25 min. 


Let stand for 5 min, then serve.

Okay, so now that we've all got a new healthy recipe to try, let's dive into my philosophy for health and other related topics.  This is what works for me.  Some things are based on fact, others are just my own opinion.  Feel free to take it or leave it.  

I feel a DOs and DON'Ts list coming on:

DO eat, preferably 3 meals and 1 or 2 snacks. 

DON'T skip meals thinking you are doing yourself a favor.  Skipping meals sends your body into "starvation mode" which means that your body chooses not to burn your calories as quickly as it could, and eventually you just end up using all of your muscle for fuel.  I don't think flabby and weak was the look you were going for.

DO sweat.  It's not unladylike, I promise.  When you exercise, get moving and then get on with your life.

DON'T waste time.  I see way too many chicks chatting with their friends while they walk as slow as a snail on the treadmill.  I'm glad that seems to work for them, but if they moved their skinny little butts a little faster they could easily burn twice as many calories in the same amount of time.

DO strength train.  I'll be going over different strength training exercises in the future, but crunches, push-ups, lunges, and using dumbbells properly are a few common examples.  Strength training builds lean muscle, and the more lean muscle you have in you body the more fat you burn all day long.

DON'T be a cardio queen.  Some of you may be thinking, "But you just talked about cardio..."  Yes, I did, but just like everything else in life, we need balance.  It is important to incorporate cardio into your workout, but don't let that be all you do.  Remember, cardio may burn a lot of calories while you are doing it, but strength training gives you the muscle you need to burn more calories all day long.

DO listen to some naughty tunes while you work out.  Now, I'm not talking raunchy here, just something that makes you feel sexy.  A little "Buttons" by The Pussycat Dolls or "Rewind" by Toni Braxton never killed anybody, and it just might make you move faster.

DON'T listen to the same ol' playlist day after day.  If that works for you, awesome, but I'm not as motivated by a beat if it's the same beat I've been moving to all week long.

DO use a little light butter.  Obviously, use it sparingly, but it's a good thing to have when baking.

DON'T use margarine!  That crap will kill you, and I'm not exaggerating.  It's a giant murderous stick of trans fats.  Just say no!

DO indulge a little bit.  Dessert is my kryptonite.  Can't live with it; can't live without it.  I tried giving it up and I ended up snacking more trying to hit the craving.  I've decided ONE SERVING of reduced fat ice cream was acceptable for me to have once a day.  It enables me to eat healthy all day long because I know I'll treat myself later.

DON'T feel guilty.  If you eat something that maybe you shouldn't have, enjoy it for goodness sakes!  What was the point if you are going to torture yourself about it later?!  Just don't let a "slip-up" become a habit.

DO figure out what works for you.  Everybody, and every body, is different.  Just because I need a sugar hit every day doesn't mean that you do!  Maybe you love chips, or fries.  Buy baked chips!  Learn how to make oven fries!  Find healthier ways to eat the things you love and you'll find it easier to stick to a new healthier lifestyle.

DON'T hate on your body!  We all do it.  I cannot tell you how many times I heard a college roommate say, "Ugh, I'm sooo fat!" when, quite frankly, she wasn't.  Not only is that obnoxious to the rest of us, but it's no good for your self-esteem or motivation.  Our bodies do so much for us, so why do we hate them so?  Respect your body for all it does for you.  Treat it right and it will treat you right.

Well, that's all I've got for today!  I'm sure I'll have more DOs and DON'Ts for all of you later.  Do you have any rules that you live by?