3 simple dinners with bottled marinara

TIP Pasta made from a mixture of whole grain and legume flours, rather than 100 percent whole- wheat flour, delivers the benefits of whole grains with texture and flavor closer to traditional semolina pasta.

Baked Penne

1 (14- to 16-ounce) box penne (preferably whole grain)

1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded light mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 (24-ounce) bottle marinara sauce, divided

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 11-inch-by-7-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the penne according to the least time on the package directions. Drain.

3. While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, 11/2 cups of the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan, and all but 1 cup of the tomato sauce in a large bowl. Toss with the pasta and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Spoon the reserved tomato sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and about half the chopped parsley. Cover with foil and bake 12 minutes, until heated through. Uncover and bake another 3 minutes, until the cheese is very lightly browned. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving (when made with 14.5-ounce package whole grain pasta) 536 calories, 34 g protein, 64 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 15 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 891 mg sodium

Shrimp-and-Zucchini Farfalle

8 ounces farfalle pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces zucchini, cut in 1-inch chunks

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups bottled marinara sauce

Red pepper flakes, to taste

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high. Add zucchini and thyme and cook without moving until undersides of zucchini are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to plate. (The zucchini should be slightly undercooked at this point).

3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan; add the shrimp, garlic and cook the shrimp 2 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. Transfer to the plate with the zucchini. Add the marinara sauce to the pan and cook, stirring, 2 minutes to warm. Combine with the pasta, zucchini and shrimp and red pepper flakes if desired. Just before serving, stir in the fresh basil. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving 440 calories, 26 g protein, 61 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 10 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 1150 mg sodium

Spaghetti with Quick Red-Clam Sauce

8 ounces spaghetti (preferably whole grain)

3 strips center-cut bacon, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomato

2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, drained

1 (14-ounce) bottle marinara sauce

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions in plenty of lightly salted boiling water.

2. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium high. Add the garlic and cook 15 seconds; add the diced tomatoes and clams and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, bring to a boil and cook another 2 minutes, until somewhat thickened. Toss with the pasta and just before serving, top with the parsley. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving 409 calories, 29 g protein, 60 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 822 mg sodium