A light and healthy pasta salad is the perfect snack for the warm weather and your whole family will enjoy it. Pasta salads are a sneaky way to put vegetables in your kids diet and get them to try different foods without much fuss. They're also a convenient meal for moms to make since they can create it ahead of time and then eat when they are ready.
They are so many options to try but here are two of my favorites:
Ingredients
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- 1 package (16 ounce size) fusili pasta
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- ½ pound provolone cheese, cubed
- ½ pound salami, cubed
- ¼ pound sliced pepperoni, cut in half
- 1 large green pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1 can (10 ounce size) black olives, drained
- 1 jar (4 ounce size) pimientos, drained
- 1 bottle (8 ounces) low fat Italian salad dressing
In a large pot of lightly salted water, boil water then add the pasta. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta and run cold water over it and place in the refrigerator to cool off. While your pasta is cooling, chop up the tomatoes, cheese, salami, pepperoni, green pepper, and olives. Remove the pasta and add to the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour in salad dressing and toss to coat. Top it off with some parmesan cheese.
Next is a delicious cold pasta recipe that adds shrimp.
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups seeded, diced tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Some fresh, chopped basil to taste
- 1 cup mozzarella cut into small cubes
- ½ cup vegetable or olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 pound cooked, shelled and deveined shrimp
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Few dried red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 pound box of whole wheat extra fiber Penne pasta
Cook the pasta in a large pot in lightly salted water for 8-10 minutes. Mix all of the ingredients except for the shrimp and pasta in a large bowl and let sit for about an hour to blend the flavors. Pour over the cooked pasta and add the cooked shrimp. Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve with grated cheese.
These are relatively simple dishes that are great for the summer months and have healthy ingredients to keep your diet on track.