Farfalle with Watercress, Cherry Tomatoes, and Feta

Ingredients
8 ounces farfalle pasta
1 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cups watercress leaves (from 2 small bunches)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Place the cheese in a large bowl; top with the watercress. Before draining the pasta, take 1/4 cup of the cooking water from the pot and pour it over the watercress. (Watercress will wilt slightly, and cheese will get soft.) Place the tomatoes in a colander. Drain the pasta over the tomatoes for a super-quick blanch. Toss with the watercress and cheese; sprinkle with pepper and serve.

Source: Fitness Magazine

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/money-saving-meals-healthy-low-cost-dinner-recipes/?sssdmh=dm17.359163&esrc=nwffood28_09&email=1808337912

Easy Lemon Pasta with Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried penne
• 2 chicken cutlets, cut into fingers
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, until al dente.Drain well.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large grill pan over medium high and add chicken. Grill until golden and completely cooked. Remove to a plate and slice.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to a saute pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta and turn heat off. Mix all together.

Remove pasta to a large bowl. Add chicken to the warm pasta and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in chopped parsley. Add the juice of 2 lemons and mix. Before serving top with Parmesan.

Source: Food Network

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/down-home-with-the-neelys/easy-lemon-pasta-with-chicken-recipe/index.html

Warm Pasta Salad with Italian Turkey Sausage

Ingredients


Nonstick cooking spray

5 tablespoons olive oil

6 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices

2 hot or sweet Italian sausages

8 ounces wagon-wheel pasta



Directions

1. Prepare charcoal grill with medium-hot coals or heat gas grill to medium-high; coat rack with nonstick cooking spray. For dressing, whisk together 4 tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. Brush tomatoes, eggplant, and onion with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Pierce sausages several times with the point of a small knife. Grill vegetables and sausages, turning often, 13 to 15 minutes, or until sausages are no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; place in a large bowl.

4. Remove vegetables from grill and chop into bite-size pieces; cut sausages into coins, then cut each coin in half. Add sausage and vegetables to pasta. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat

Source: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/healthy-summer-barbecue/grilling-recipes/?page=5

Orecchiette alla Rustica

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 lb orecchiette (tiny disk-shape) pasta 
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, not drained
• 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half
• 1/2 cup each chopped fresh parsley and diced bottled roasted red pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Recipe Preparation

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water as package directs.

2. Meanwhile heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté just until golden. Immediately add beans with their liquid, the olives, about 1/2 the parsley and all the roasted pepper. Stir to mix, then cook until hot.

3. Transfer 1/2 cup cooking water from pot to skillet. Drain pasta; add to skillet along with remaining parsley and black pepper. Toss to mix and coat. Remove to serving bowl or plates; sprinkle with cheese.

Source: Woman's Day
http://www.womansday.com/Recipes/Orecchiette-alla-Rustica2.html

Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  uncooked cavatappi pasta
• 1  pound  asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1  teaspoon  minced garlic
• 3  tablespoons  pine nuts
• 2  ounces  diced pancetta
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; add asparagus to pan during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain. Sprinkle pasta mixture with garlic; return to pan, and toss well.
3. Arrange pine nuts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 3 minutes or until golden and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Place in a small bowl.
4. Increase oven temperature to 475°.
5. Arrange pancetta on jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475° for 6 minutes or until crisp.
6. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts, pancetta, and cheese.

Source: Cooking Light
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001963965

Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  uncooked penne
• 8  ounces  sweet Italian sausage
• 2  teaspoons  olive oil
• 1  cup  vertically sliced onion
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 1 1/4  pounds  tomatoes, chopped
• 6  tablespoons  grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/4  cup  torn fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and basil.

Source: Cooking Light
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001918479

Noodles with Roast Pork and Almond Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2  teaspoon  canola oil
• 1/2  pound  pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 8  ounces  uncooked fettuccine
• 1/4  cup  almond butter
• 2 1/2  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  rice vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  chili garlic sauce
• 1  cup  thinly sliced green onions
• 1/3  cup  finely chopped fresh mint

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Drizzle oil in an ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle pork with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper; place pork in pan. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Turn pork over, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°. Place pork on a cutting board; let stand 10 minutes. Shred pork into small pieces.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons pasta water; keep pasta warm.
4. Combine almond butter, 2 tablespoons pasta water, remaining salt, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and chili garlic sauce. Divide pasta evenly among 4 bowls; top evenly with sauce, pork, onions, and mint.

Source: Cooking Light
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001924698

Penne with Asparagus, Spinach, and Bacon

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  uncooked penne pasta
• 2  bacon slices
• 1/2  cup  chopped sweet onion
• 2 1/2  cups  (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
• 1 1/2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 4  cups  bagged baby spinach leaves
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) preshredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper

Preparation

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute. Add asparagus and broth to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add pasta, spinach, 1/4 cup cheese, and pepper to pan; toss well. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and bacon.

Add Chicken for more protein! 

Source: Cooking Light

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001622508

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Broccolini and Feta

Ingredients

• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch broccolini (about 10 ounces), stems cut into 2-inch stems, and florets
• 1 medium bunch radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced
• 12 ounces whole-wheat rigatoni
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Put the shallots in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes; drain.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and salt it as well. Add the broccolini to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the radish slices, and cook 30 seconds, more. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to scoop out the vegetables and plunge them immediately into the ice water. Drain the vegetables, pat them very dry.

Add the pasta to the same pot of boiling water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Whisk the sherry vinegar, orange zest, the 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste, in a large serving bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make a dressing.

Toss the rigatoni, broccolini, radish and shallot with the dressing. Add the feta cheese and toss lightly. Serve warm or room temperature. 

Source: Food Network

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/whole-wheat-pasta-with-broccolini-and-feta-recipe/index.html

Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 2 pounds (17 to 21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound angel hair pasta
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the shrimp on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.Toss well, spread them in one layer and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until they're pink and cooked through.

Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add the angel hair and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Quickly toss the angel hair with the melted butter, 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Add the shrimp and serve hot.

Source: Food Network- Ina Garten

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-pasta-with-roasted-shrimp-recipe/index.html

Photograph by Quentin Bacon

Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

Leftover salad is also good the next day for lunch; stir in a handful of arugula to add a fresh touch, if you have extra on hand. Serve with pita wedges.


Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups salad and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson)
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup prechopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.

3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information

Calories:295 (23% from fat)
Fat:7.7g (sat 2.9g,mono 2.8g,poly 1.1g)
Protein:24.4g
Carbohydrate:32.1g
Fiber:2g
Cholesterol:55mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:788mg
Calcium:40mg

Source: Laura Zapalowski, Cooking Light, APRIL 2008
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1723375