Recipe: Pasta salad with mixed vegetables

Dietitian's tip: You can use any type of pasta for this light spring salad, including shells, rotelle, fusilli or macaroni. For added variety, try spinach, tomato or carrot-flavored pasta.

Low sodium = no more than 140 mg of sodium per serving

Low fat = no more than 3 g of fat per serving

SERVES 8

Ingredients

12 ounces farfalle (bow tie) pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) unsalted diced tomatoes in juice
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 medium zucchini, shredded
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
8 romaine lettuce leaves

Directions

Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender), 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly. Place pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the olive oil and toss. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the chicken broth over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and tomatoes. Saute until the onions are transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and saute until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in the basil and oregano.

Add the vegetable mixture to the pasta. Toss to mix evenly. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.

Place lettuce leaves on individual plates. Top with the pasta salad and serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis

(per serving)

Calories	226	Cholesterol	trace
Protein	9 g	Sodium	53 mg
Carbohydrate	43 g	Fiber	4 g
Total fat	3 g	Potassium	392 mg
Saturated fat	0.5 g	Calcium	39 mg
Monounsaturated fat	1.5 g