Pesto Tortellini and Zucchini Salad

Serve this fragrant, colorful salad with warm whole wheat rolls and precut fresh cantaloupe or honeydew melon. Look for fresh tortellini in the refrigerated section of your supermarket. You can substitute yellow squash for zucchini.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 2 cups pasta mixture and 1 teaspoon cheese)

Ingredients

• 2  (9-ounce) packages fresh three-cheese tortellini
• Cooking spray
• 2  teaspoons  bottled minced garlic
• 4  cups  zucchini, halved and thinly sliced (about 2 zucchini)
• 2  cups  chopped plum tomato (about 4 tomatoes)
• 3  tablespoons  prepared pesto
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons  shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add the garlic and zucchini, and sauté 5 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Combine pasta, zucchini mixture, and tomato in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat.

Combine reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid, pesto, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over pasta, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

336 (30% from fat)

Fat:

11.2g (sat 4.4g,mono 4.4g,poly 1g)

Protein:

14.9g

Carbohydrate:

45.9g

Fiber:

3.3g

Cholesterol:

39mg

Iron:

2.1mg

Sodium:

586mg

Calcium:

220mg