Thursday, May 25, 2017

Lower Carb Tuna Noodle Casserole

I know it's been awhile since my last blog post, but don't worry, I've been sticking to low carb. I have added in more good carbs to help with the energy level I need when working out though. I happened upon black bean pasta at Trader Joe's and decided to give it a try. I read some preparation tips online, and people suggested making it more of a Mexican pasta instead of traditional spaghetti sauce since the black beans lent themselves to that. I did and was not a fan. A couple of weeks later, while perusing the shelves of Walmart, I found red lentil pasta and chick pea pasta. I purchased the red lentil pasta, and prepared it the traditional way with meat and pasta sauce. Amazing!!! I'm almost giddy with the thought of being able to eat pasta again. 

Last night, I decided to try the chick pea pasta. I googled chick peas to see if they are a good carb, but the results were mixed. Some believe it is a good carb. Some don't. I am going to believe it is a good carb, because the tuna casserole I made with it last night is oh so good! I was never a fan of tuna casserole growing up, but for some reason, I was craving it. I googled low carb tuna casserole, but it was basically just sauce, tuna, and cheese with not a lot of substance. I decided to make it with the chick pea pasta to see how it would taste. I'm so glad I did. Tuna casserole is now on my list of favorite lower carb meals. (recipe below)

1 10oz box of chick pea pasta, cooked
2 cans of tuna, drained
1/2 block of cream cheese, softened
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 small onion, sautéed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided (1 cup mixed in. 1 cup on top)
1 cup frozen peas

Preheat oven to 425. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and put into a greased 9x13 pan. Top with remaining cup of cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes.