Herbed Orzo Salad

I found this recipe in Light and Tasty magazine, and we just love the unique blend of flavors! So light, fresh, and delicious, I adore quick recipes like this for a meal-in-a-hurry. You can serve the salad as is for a side dish, or to make it a full meal, just add some chopped smoked ham like we often do.

Herb Vegetable Orzo Salad

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil or 4 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (I don't use parsley)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large serving bowl; add the corn, red pepper, tomatoes, olives, onion, basil and parsley.
• In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; shake well. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (3/4 cup) equals 192 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 157 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.

Spinach and Herb Linguini

A delicious, healthful way to enjoy pasta-in-a-hurry. Bursting with the fresh herbal flavors of summer! Originally inspired by a recipe from Cooking Light magazine, my adaptation is below:

 

Spinach and Herb Green Linguini

 

4 oz fresh spinach
1/4 c slivered almonds
1/4 c fresh basil leaves
1 t dried oregano
1/4 t black pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 T low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 t fresh lemon juice
2 T white wine
1/4 t salt
2 T evoo
1/4 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
8 oz uncooked linguini

Cook linguini according to package directions.

Meanwhile add the first 10 ingredients (spinach through salt) to a food processor and process well, scraping down the sides if needed. While continuing to process, stream in the evoo until mixture takes on the consistency of pesto. Stir in cheese, and toss thoroughly with the cooked and drained pasta. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Pasta

Starting with a rotisserie chicken makes this meal a snap to throw together, yet the flavor blend is complex, unusual, and delicious. - If you want even more control over what's in your food, you can, of course, season and roast your own chicken. -

Favorite sides for this meal? Although it is a great all-in-one dish... I recommend green beans and onion buns. :-)

 

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Pasta

 

13 oz whole wheat pasta (I like rotini)
Rotisserie chicken - de-boned and roughly chopped
12 oz jar roasted red peppers
2 cans (11 oz each) white shoepeg corn (drained)
1 c Parmesan cheese
1 c feta cheese
2 t garlic powder
2 t dried basil
Balsamic vinaigrette

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Combine all of the ingredients, adding just enough balsamic vinaigrette to moisten the pasta. Toss well. Serve immediately, or heat through in a warm oven to blend flavors. Serves 8