Healthy Meals Can Still Taste Great

For those of you looking for healthy meals that are also tasty, here is a recipe for a pasta salad that is rich in fresh vegetables and is also pleasing to the taste buds.

Marinated pasta salad 2 cups zucchini, sliced 2 cups asparagus, sliced 2 cups broccoli florets

First of all prepare the vegetables

Place your vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, and zucchini) in a vegetable steamer, covered, over boiling water for 5-7 minutes until just tender. Broccoli will take several minutes longer so put in steamer first. Remove vegetables from heat and reserve. 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 large shallot, minced 2 cups mushrooms, sliced Squeeze of fresh lemon

Prepare the mushrooms

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add shallot and mushrooms. Saute’ until mushrooms turn glossy but retain crispness, 3-4 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over mushrooms, and set aside.

Marinade: cup olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice teaspoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoons fresh oregano teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh teaspoon seasoned salt Fresh ground black pepper 1 clove garlic, minced

Prepare the marinade

Combine oil, lemon juice, oregano, basil, seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic in a measuring cup. Thoroughly mix. Combine vegetables and mushrooms in a large bowl. Add marinade and toss gently. At this point vegetables can be refrigerated several hours or overnight. pound De Cecco whole-wheat pasta or fresh vegetable fusilli cup thin red pepper strips or thin sun dried tomato strips cup arugula, fresh parsley, or fresh cilantro, chopped cup greek olives, rinsed

Prepare the pasta for this healthy meal

In a large kettle, bring three quarts of water to a boil . Add pasta and simmer, uncovered, until just al dente, 2-3 minutes for fresh vegetable fusilli, 10-12 minutes for dried pasta. A tablespoon of olive oil may be added to water before boiling. When pasta is ready add a cup of cold water to kettle to stop cooking. Drain immediately and toss with marinated vegetables. Add peppers or tomatoes. Add olives and toss. Sprinkle with arugula, parsley or cilantro. Toss gently. Serves 3-4.

This is one of many tasty, healthy meals that are rich in nutrients and take about 45 minutes to prepare.

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