Now that school has started back and the summer days are fading away, I am beginning to have less time to daydream about my next culinary concoctions. At the same time, I can still find the time to whip up a quick one-dish-meal. I love the preparation involved in selecting a main food to cook, and then finding the perfect sides to complement the flavor and visual appeal- Sunday night did not happen to be a night for this sort of thing. As I was anticipating a busy upcoming week, I scanned my macbook for the perfect recipe. I think it was the title that caught my eye, but I finally decided upon "Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine". This is a Kraft original recipe, made lighter by yours truly. I like to make pasta dishes such as this one, because I know there will be leftovers for later in the week, when my nutrition book steals the spotlight from my recipe book. Also, these "casseroles" reheat perfectly, and sometimes taste even better after the flavors have melded for a couple of days. I think cooking large meals ahead of time is an essential key to healthy eating on a busy schedule. If you can a find about an hour on Sunday afternoon to cook, you can pre-portion serving sizes in storage containers. Then you can take them to work, have dinner ready when you get home, or freeze some for weeks to come. It's even faster than fast food- not to mention cheaper and much healthier.

This pasta has a sort of lasagna flavor, which I think appeals to the majority of people. And who doesn't love a dish that includes three types of cheese? The spinach in this recipe is fairly mild, and great for sneaking in those veggies. I used Fiber Gourmet pasta, but whole wheat noodles are great as well. A simple green salad completes the meal.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat penne noodles, dry

9 oz. fresh spinach leaves

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

14.5 oz. jar spaghetti sauce (I used Light Ragu Tomato & Basil)

2 garlic cloves, minced

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

2 oz. fat-free cream cheese, cubed

1 cup fat-free shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan

Nutrition: (with wheat noodles) 270 calories, 31g carbohydrate, 32g protein, 3g fat, 6g fiber

(with Fiber Gourmet noodles) 245 calories, 53g carbohydrate, 32g protein, 2g fat, 12g fiber