Colorful Pasta Salad

Name: Colorful Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 5 servings.
Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups uncooked tricolor spiral pasta; 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks; 1 cup fresh snow peas, halved; 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot; 1/2 cup sliced cucumber; 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro; 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

The colorful side dish shared by Mary Tallman of Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin features sweet pineapple, crunchy vegetables and refreshing cilantro in a tangy dressing with pasta. It requires just 15 minutes of prep time, so it’s perfect for a quick lunch or on-the-go dinner.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups uncooked tricolor spiral pasta
1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks
1 cup fresh snow peas, halved
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup sliced cucumber
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, snow peas, carrot, cucumber and reserved pineapple juice.
Drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Add to pineapple mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro. Drizzle with salad dressing and toss to coat. Chill until serving.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 120 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 153mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 fruit.

Originally published as Lanai Salad in Simple & Delicious May/June 2006