Creamy Roasted Garlic & Spinach Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1¾ cups uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta
- 2½ cups chicken stock
- 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
- 1 package (8 ounces) fresh spinach, trimmed and chopped
- ¼ cup shredded Asiago cheese
- ¼ cup fat-free milk
- 1 teaspoon salt-free garlic pepper seasoning blend
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove papery outer skin from garlic bulb, but do not peel or separate the cloves. Cut off the top of garlic bulb, exposing individual cloves. Drizzle cut cloves with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap in foil. Bake 30–35 minutes or until the cloves are soft. Unwrap. When cool, squeeze garlic from skins.
In a Dutch oven, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add pasta; cook and stir over medium-high heat 2–3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10–12 minutes or until the pasta is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Stir in cream cheese until melted. Add spinach, Asiago cheese, milk, seasoning blend, salt and roasted garlic; cook and stir until spinach is wilted. Sprinkle with parsley.