Pasta is always a firm favorite, and this simple recipe will certainly help you meet the daily nutritional requirements of your pregnancy planner during all three trimesters.
Just one serving gives you up to half of your daily protein requirement and a third of your pregnancy needs for folate. It’s also giving you plenty of fiber to help maintain your balanced diet and both DHA and omega-6 fatty acids your little one’s eye and brain development. Make sure you have as much of that broccoli as it contains folic acid that helps protect your baby from brain and spinal defects, and helps lower your risk of labor complications.
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook the pasta/penne according to the package directions but for only half of the normal cooking time.
3. Add the broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking the pasta.
4. Prepare to reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta and broccoli.
5. Rinse the pasta and broccoli in cold water, and set the mix aside.
6. Coat a 13-by-9-inch (33x22cm) glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking oil.
7. Combine the chopped onion, oil, curry powder, thyme, and pepper in a small glass dish or measuring cup.
8. Cover the mixture with plastic cling wrap, leaving a small corner vent. Microwave on high, stirring once, until sizzling, for approximately 5 minutes.
9. Carefully scrape the onion mixture into the prepared baking dish. Add the chicken, cottage cheese, Parmesan, cooked pasta and broccoli, and the reserved cooking water.
10. Thoroughly mix all these ingredients together.
11. Cover the dish and mixture with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
11. Remove the dish from the oven and remove the foil. Return the pasta to the oven and bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes longer.
Tip: If you are making the dish ahead of time, allow the pasta and broccoli, cooking water, and onion mixture to cool completely before assembling the casserole.
Refrigerate this for up to 3 days, and when ready to serve, bake the pasta according to the recipe directions.
