Creamy One-Pot Penne Primavera with Shrimp

1. We packed this dish with vegetables while cutting down on the amount of pasta used. Not only does this keep the portion size hearty, but it cuts back on the amount of carbs per serving. That means you'll get more in the way of nutrition, but not at the cost of significantly impacting your blood sugar.

2. We used the leftover cooking water from the pasta as a base for the sauce. The slightly starchy water combines with Parmesan cheese, creating an emulsification, for a creamy, silky sauce without adding calories or saturated fat. It's also quick and easy—making the sauce in the same pot as the pasta means no extra pans to clean up!

3. We opted for whole-wheat pasta, which has more good-for-you fiber than regular pasta made with refined flour. Fiber helps slow down digestion, which can help prevent blood sugar spikes after meals. And whole-wheat pasta is delicious, earthy and nutty—pairing well with the lively mix of veggies and shrimp in this recipe.

We love problem-solving! If you don't have a high-sided skillet, you can use a large pot. 

Unfortunately we can't say that this recipe will work when using gluten-free pasta instead of wheat-based pasta. Since gluten-free pastas are made with varying ingredients, with different levels of starch, there's no hard-and-fast rule for using the cooking water as a thickener. However, experimenting is fun, so if you try it and are successful, please leave a comment below with the type of pasta you used. 

You may not always be in the mood for shrimp, we get it. You can definitely play around with other proteins for this dish, like diced chicken breast. Before you start Step 1, heat some extra-virgin olive oil in the pan over medium heat and brown the chicken. Remove it from the pan, then proceed with Step 1. Add the chicken back to the pan when you add the spinach so it can finish cooking. You can also try this same technique with cubed pork loin, turkey breast, tofu or tempeh. Any of these changes will also change the nutritional profile of this dish, so just keep that in mind. 

How resourceful! Yes, most vegetables would work well with this dish. Add heartier vegetables, such as carrots and cauliflower, when you add the salt and pepper. More delicate vegetables, like asparagus, snap peas and green beans,  should be added with the shrimp. If you have leftover cooked vegetables in your refrigerator, you could definitely use them here—just stir the vegetables in during the last few minutes of cooking to reheat.

Baby spinach is smaller in size than fully grown, so chop mature spinach into bite-size pieces before you add it to your pan. As for other greens, most will make a good substitute. Tender greens (arugula, baby greens and watercress) should be added with the cooked shrimp, while heartier ones such as kale, mustard and chard can be tossed in when the broccoli and peppers are added.

Having diabetes doesn't mean you have to give up all of your favorite foods. You just need the know-how (and easy cooking tips) to make better choices. In Make Over My Recipe, a fun cooking show geared toward beginner cooks, Mila Clarke takes classics like mac and cheese, meatloaf, brownies and more comfort foods and uses simple tricks to make them healthier—but just as delicious as ever.