Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Whole Wheat Ravioli with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
In case you haven’t been able to tell, I LOVE fall! The flavors, the aromas, and the PUMPKINS just make me giddy. I love making use of all of the pumpkin products around, but I also like to buy canned pumpkin and make up a few of my own recipes! I wanted to share one of my favorite fall dinner dishes with you – pumpkin and goat cheese ravioli with toasted pumpkin seeds! This one takes a little more time to prepare than most of the other dishes that I make, but it is worth every minute.
Why Pumpkins?
Aside from being delicious, pumpkins have a ton of nutritional benefits to fuel your body right! Pumpkin boasts a large amount of beta-carotene, a precursor form of vitamin A that is found in plants with red and orange pigments. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that may aid in the neutralization of free radicals within the body. Also, pumpkins have a creamy texture but are surprisingly low in fat and high in fiber. The fiber in this dish is also pumped up with the addition of pumpkin seeds (which also add satiating protein and a satisfying crunch) and whole wheat noodles.
*Feel like the saturated fat content in this dish is too high for your needs? Use less cheese, or skip it all together – I promise this dish will still taste like autumn-y goodness!
Ingredients (serves 2):
1 C canned pumpkin
4 oz whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 oz goat cheese
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tsp
1/4 C pumpkin seeds
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Directions:
1. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add 1/8 tsp olive oil (this will prevent the sheets of pasta from sticking together). Add lasagna noodles and cook 10-12 minutes.
2. Drain water from pasta. Lay pasta sheets on cutting board and cut sheets into large squares (about 1 1/2 inches wide).
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
4. Spray large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer half of the pasta squares into dish.
5. Scoop spoonful of pumpkin and sprinkle goat cheese in center of each ravioli. Cover ravioli with remaining pasta squares.
6. Drizzle olive oil over ravioli. Place in oven and bake 10-15 minutes, or until ravioli is hot.
7. While ravioli is in the oven, place pumpkin seeds in small skillet (no oil necessary) over low-medium heat. Heat seeds until warmed and slightly toasted (about 5 minutes).
8. Remove pasta from oven and transfer to plate. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top. Enjoy!
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving:
Calories 586 calories, Fat 33 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrates 56 g, Fiber 11 g, Protein 21 g, Sodium 116 mg, Calcium 93 mg