All children returned to school this week, after two months of summer vacation. Although, we all eat three meals a day but when school starts I am sure all Parents begin to think more about school lunches. Packing lunch was quite a challenge for me when my daughter was in grade 6-7 but not after she learned to make better food choices. My daughter attends a public school, and even though her school cafeteria makes an effort to follow nutrition guidelines much of the food is processed and fried and that’s what my daughter does not like to eat it every day. And, you might be surprised, I am one of those Parent who is making and packing lunch for 11 years. It feels so much rewarding when my daughter has appreciation for the food I make.
She is in senior high school, and always take lunch from home. Most kids in her class do the same and they reheat in their block’s microwave. All these years it has become a routine and I don’t fret even if she buys lunch on certain days. I just have to make sure she eats well at home. I made stuffed pasta shells for myself and saved some for my daughter’s lunch. I don’t know why I suddenly thought to write about this when I already had some other post in my drafts.
I love stuffed shells and like to experiment with a filling that is not just cheese. The filling I used in these shells is actually my base for stuffed vegetarian sandwich. It makes the whole dish a bit healthier and lighter. While at Costco at the other day I randomly purchased butternut squash sauce and used it in the pasta in combination with regular pasta sauce. The result was creamy and delicious. I simply loved it. The sweetness and robust flavor of butternut squash sauce was wonderful with a rich flavor of herbs and garlic.
STUFFED PASTA SHELLS (serves 2- 3)
Ingredients:
G F pasta shells (14)
1/2 cup butternut squash sauce
1/2 cup pasta sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano and basil, each
salt and black to taste
Filling:
1 cup home made paneer
1/3 cup carrot, thinly sliced
1/3 cup broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped (optional)
salt, black pepper as per taste
1/2 tsp of dried basil
mozzarella cheese for topping
Method:
Boil gluten free pasta shells in salted water according to instructions on the package.
Place paneer in a bowl. Crumble it with hands.
Heat olive oil in a small pan. Sauté garlic and onion. Add broccoli and carrot. Cook them until just tender. Remove pan from heat.
Add cooked vegetable to paneer along with salt, pepper and basil.
Fill each pasta shell with some of the paneer mixture.
Mix butternut and tomato pasta sauce in a small bowl. Add garlic powder, salt, black pepper and dried herbs.
Brush oil on a 8″x8″ baking dish. Spread 1/4 of sauce over the bottom. Arrange the stuffed pasta shell in the dish. Spread remaining sauce over the top of the pasta shells. Sprinkle some cheese as well.
Heat oven to 375 °f. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake uncovered until just the cheese turns golden.
Serve with green salad on side.
Shanthi
Healthy one and looks wonderful
Nami | Just One Cookbook
Hi Balvinder! I think you are doing such an awesome job making lunch for 11 years!! You are a pro! I’m making a post right now about my Japanese lunch box… nothing special it’s for 6 year old boy. I’m struggling but hope to become a pro like you one day! I’ve seen this giant shell on someone’s blog before once. I have never seen it in a store before but I assume I’m not looking carefully. I really want to make this because it’s different from our regular pasta dish and kids may love this big pasta! 😀
Balvinder Ubi
Nami, I have done Bento rice before I still want to do it but My girl has grown up. I am not at all pro, you just learned to do things with time. Regarding those pasta shells, I am sure you can get from Health food or Italian Stores.
Shobha
Delicious ! I have been wanting to make these for a long time..love them with any kind of filling.
Guru Uru
Oh wow my friend, who wants to buy from school when their pasta can look as delicious as yours? 😀
I love how saucy and flavoursome it is!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
yummychunklet
What a delicious stuffed pasta shells dish!
Baker Street
Now that just looks fantastic! I think I’ll try a chicken version of this!
Suzi
I love these healthy stuffed shells with the broccoli and carrots. I coule dive tight in to that photo, LOL. I didn’t realize that you could get GF shells, what are they made from?
Balvinder Ubi
Suzi, They are made from Brown rice. I have also seen some pasta made with buckwheat. There is so much variety now.
Navaneetham Krishnan
I agree with that its ok to eat in school in between the home packed meals. Definitely those from home is healthy. We seldom have pasta and I am sure you know why. Its all about rice and noodles for us but why not for a change. I see that you have added veges inside and paneer too. Must have been heavenly and of course, I can see from the pics.
Swathi Iyer
It is great that your daughter appreciate your cooking. She is right, you cook healthy food, why stand in line and get junk food. love this stuffed pasta shells. Nobody can say no to this.
Neha
Wonderful recipe…
Lizzy Do
I love your twist on stuffed shells. This is what my daughter has requested for her birthday dinner tomorrow…but she has to have a ricotta-spinach filling 🙂
Jay
awesome recipe…love d flavors
Tasty Appetite
anne
The filling itself sounds delectable and nutritious ! It’s really great that your daughter appreciates the food you’re cooking ! Someday , I’m gonna make this paneer ! 😀
Tiffany
This was one of my favorite dinners as a kid… I love your recipe!
Shirley Tay
I’m impressed to learn that you pack lunch for your kids to school. Your kids are real lucky. I can see that you’re putting a lot of effort in making a healthy meal for them.
Spicie Foodie
Oh what great memories for me. In my Mexican home stuffed shells were one of the few American dishes my mum would cook for us. Yours look so delicious. Thanks for sharing and for the memories:)
Jenn Kendall
this sounds incredible! i’m so wanting this for dinner now…
Sawsan @chef in disguise
It is wonderful that your daughter still takes packed lunches, it is indeed much healthier than anything she can buy. My daughter is in 3rd grade and I pack her lunches and it is indeed not easy being creative every day, thank you for the inspiration
I love stuffed pasta shells, they are so versatile
Juliana
So nice this version of GF stuffed pasta Balvinder…what a great meal and I am ready for it 🙂
Have a wonderful week!
Amelia
Hi Balvinder, this is awesome, look so mouth watering. yum yum
Looking at it, I’m so hungry now….LOL
Have a nice week ahead.
Chaya
The idea of adding the butternut sauce is fantastic. Stuffed shells are delicious to start with and you just made them, even better.
Cindy DG
This looks amazing!! I’d like to invite you to link it up at our Gluten Free Fridays recipe party that is going on right now! 🙂 Hope you can join us!
Cindy
http://vegetarianmamma.com/glutenfreefridays-recipe-party-6/
Cindy DG
Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! We had some fabulous entries this week! Our gluten free blogger directory is growing too! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 See you next Friday! Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
nanskrish
can you tell me where you bought the jumbo gluten free pasta shells.
Balvinder
Over here they are available in specialty stores and sometimes in Canadian superstores too.