The Lighter Pasta Bowl You've Been Looking For

Sometimes I need that extra energy without breaking the calorie bank or spiking my sugar. This is a great alternative to a comfort meal — it has enough calories, carbs, fiber, and protein to make sure you have a nice night of rest. Especially if you're hitting the gym in the morning.

This is a little spin-off on a popular recipe from fitness influencers, adapted to what I was craving that day. It came out so good that I wanted to share it here.

For this version, I swapped the flavor base — adobo and cumin take the lead, with just a touch of Italian seasoning left in the background.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 4 oz American Beauty Protein Elbow Macaroni

• 8 oz lean ground beef (93/7 if possible)

• ½ small onion, diced

• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 ½ tsp olive oil (optional if the beef is very lean)

• 1 cup spinach

• ½ cup mushrooms, diced (optional)

• 7 oz crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (no sugar added — about half a 14 oz can)

• 1 tsp adobo seasoning

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ¼ tsp Italian seasoning

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Brown the beef. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (skip it if your beef is very lean). Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 5-6 minutes.

3. Sauté the aromatics. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet with the beef. Cook until the onion softens, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the mushrooms. Stir them in and cook for another 2-3 minutes until they release their moisture and soften.

5. Build the sauce. Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Stir in the adobo, cumin, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer so the flavors come together.

6. Wilt the spinach. Add it to the skillet and stir until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes.

7. Combine and serve. Fold the cooked pasta into the skillet, tossing to coat evenly in the sauce. Top with Parmesan and serve hot.

Note: adobo seasoning varies a lot in saltiness depending on the brand, so taste the sauce before adding extra salt.