Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad

By Annabel Karmel

courtesy of Disney Family.com

This salad is packed with nutritious ingredients. Broccoli is king of the healthy vegetable superstars -- it's very rich in antioxidants and helps protect us against cancer (broccoli should be steamed, as boiling almost halves its vitamin C content). Pasta is a great energy food full of carbohydrates. Three tablespoons of sweetcorn provide one of the 5 portions of daily recommended fruit and vegetables, and chicken is an excellent low fat source of protein.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fusilli pasta
• 3/4 cup broccoli florets
• 3/4 cup shredded cooked chicken
• 3/4 cup tinned sweetcorn
• 8 to 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped

Dressing

• 4 tablespoons light olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon runny honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• a little freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for 4 minutes or until just tender.
3. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, add the chicken, cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn, broccoli florets and chopped spring onion.

4. Simply whisk together all the ingredients for the salad dressing and toss the salad with the dressing.

   

   For more kid-friendly Annabel Karmel recipes, visit www.annabelkarmel.com or see her cookbooks.

   
   

Sesame Peanut Noodles

By Nigella Lawson, excerpted from "Nigella Express"

compliments of Disney Family.com

I always make a large vat of these since they're lovely to keep to pick at in the fridge, too. Plus, although they're easy to make, you do need quite a few ingredients -- and this holds true whether you're making a small or big batch, so you may as well go all out.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the Dressing:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon garlic-infused oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chile sauce
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons lime juice

For the Salad:
11/4 lbs cooked egg noodles
2 cups bean sprouts, rinsed
11/2 cups snow peas
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into small strips
2 scallions, finely sliced
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl or small pitcher.
2. Put the noodles, bean sprouts, snow peas, sliced red pepper, and sliced scallions into a bowl.
3. Pour over the dressing and mix thoroughly to coat everything well.
4. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cilantro and pack up as needed.

For more of Nigella Lawson's recipes, pick up her cookbook, Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast.

Excerpted from NIGELLA EXPRESS: GOOD FOOD, FAST by Nigella Lawson. Copyright© 2007 by Nigella Lawson. Published in November 2007 by Hyperion. All Rights Reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

Spaghetti & Meatballs and Tomato-Basil Sauce

This recipe was so delicious! The tomato-basil sauce was so easy to make. I didn't have pine nuts so I didn't use them.

Spaghetti Meatballs and Tomato-Basil Sauce

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2008

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

hr min

Cook Time:

50 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 meatballs per person for dipping with sauce.

Ingredients

1/2 pound spaghetti, broken into pieces
Salt
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 large bunch parsley, leaves only
1 bunch basil, leaves only
2/3 to 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, about 1/3 cup plus some for liberal drizzling
2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg
A couple handfuls bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated

1 cup beef stock
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)

Directions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Bring a medium sauce pot of water to a boil over high heat, salt water and cook pasta to al dente 7 minutes or
so, drain and quick-cool on a baking sheet.

While pasta cooks, toast pine nuts. Make a thick herb pesto by placing the herbs, cheese, garlic and nuts in
food processor with salt and pepper. Turn processor on and stream in about 1/3 cup olive oil - make the pesto
very thick.

Place meat in a bowl. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta, egg, bread crumbs and half the
pesto to the meat. Mix to combine and form into 16 balls, and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Let the spaghetti pop out of meatballs like porcupine quills. Coat balls with a little olive oil and roast 12
to 15 minutes until firm and golden in color. Remove from the oven and place on a serving platter.

While meat roasts heat a healthy drizzle olive oil in a sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and
carrots, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, add tomatoes and crush with
the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes more, then stir in remaining pesto and transfer to a serving
bowl or 4 individual ramekins for dipping.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce

Courtesy of Cooking Light September 2010

1 (9 oz) pkg refrigerated fresh fettuccine

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved (about 1/2 cup)

cook pasta, drain and place pasta in a large bowl. While pasta cooks, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. add tomatoes and salt; cover and cook 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in basil and pepper. Add tomato mixture to pasta; toss well to combine. Top with cheese.

Pasta Salad

1 bag Garden Rotini Pasta, cooked and cooled

2 cups broccoli, chopped

2 cups tomatoes, chopped or grape tomoatoes

1 can olives, sliced

2 cups carrots, shredded

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 bottle of italian dressing (my favorite is Good Seasonings)

Mix all ingredients in serving bowl. Cover and let chill 3o min prior to serving