Quick wholesome and delicious meals

Putting wholesome food on the table that your family will enjoy doesn’t have to take hours to prepare. Registered dietitian and author, Felicia Stoler, offers some simple recipes and tips on how to add more flavor and nutrition into your meals, making meal prep stress-free and fun for the family.

—Keep your pantry stocked and plan ahead. A pasta meal typically takes less than 30 minutes to make. Ragú Old World Style Traditional pasta sauce now has a new, thicker recipe with two servings of vegetables in every half cup. Add some pre-cut fresh, frozen or canned greens as a side dish, and you have a veggie-packed meal.

—Include your kids in the cooking process. This is a great way to spend quality time with your children and teach them the skill of cooking. They love to feel like they can contribute to their family, plus — many kids will eat what they make.

—Use leftovers for lunch. The Ragú No Frying Chicken Parmesan is a classic dish that will help you save time. After dinnertime, pack it in a small container or prepare in a hero sandwich for lunch the next day to make less work (and stress) for you in the morning.

Try these recipes with the new Ragú Old World Style Traditional pasta sauce, available in the pasta sauce aisle nationwide. For more tips and delicious recipes, visit www.ragu.com or www.facebook.com/ragusauce.

No Frying Chicken Parmesan

A great recipe for a classic dish with a twist that will help you save time. What could be better?

6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 lbs.)

1 egg, beaten

1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) Ragú® Old World Style® Pasta Sauce

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)

12 oz. pasta, cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg, then crumb mixture; turn to coat.

Arrange chicken in 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake 20 minutes.

Pour Pasta Sauce over chicken; top with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with hot pasta.

TIP: Most dishes that call for frying can be baked to cut down on the fat. Try substituting eggplant for chicken for a vegetarian version.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 570, Calories From Fat 90, Saturated Fat 3.5g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 10g, Cholesterol 135mg, Sodium 810mg, Total Carbohydrate 64g, Sugars 9g, Dietary Fiber 5g, Protein 52g, Vitamin A 4%, Vitamin C 8%, Calcium 25%, Iron 25%.

Skillet Pasta & Beef Dinner

Save any leftovers, then send to school heated and stored in a thermos for a warm lunchtime treat.

6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Stand Time: 5 minutes

1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) RagúOld World Style Traditional Pasta Sauce

3 cups water

12 oz. uncooked rotini pasta 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)

Brown ground beef in 12-inch skillet; drain.

Stir in Pasta Sauce and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in uncooked rotini and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook covered, stirring occasionally, 14 minutes or until rotini is tender. Remove from heat, then sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 490, Calories From Fat 110, Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 12g, Cholesterol 85mg, Sodium 670mg, Total Carbohydrate 54g, Sugars 8g, Dietary Fiber 5g, Protein 38g, Vitamin A 2%, Vitamin C 4%, Calcium 20%, Iron 30%.

Mama’s Best Ever Spaghetti and Meatballs

A classic Italian-American dish that can be as simple or fancy as you want it to be.

6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

4 slices whole grain bread, torn into small pieces

2 eggs

1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) Ragú® Old World Style® Pasta Sauce, divided

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

12 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained

Combine ground beef, bread, eggs, 1/2 cup Pasta Sauce, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in medium bowl; shape into 18 meatballs.

Bring remaining Pasta Sauce to a boil over medium-high heat in 12-inch skillet. Gently stir in uncooked meatballs. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until meatballs are done. Serve over hot spaghetti.

TIP: Try adding a cube of mozzarella cheese to the center of each meatball for an easy but fun recipe twist.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 480, Calories From Fat 90, Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0.5g, Total Fat 10g, Cholesterol 130mg, Sodium 630mg, Total Carbohydrate 61g, Sugars 10g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Protein 36g, Vitamin A 2%, Vitamin C 4%, Calcium 6%, Iron 30%.

Courtesy Family Features