Shrimp, Lemon, and Spinach Whole-grain Pasta Salad

We lightened up this pasta salad by replacing the usual mayonnaise dressing with Greek-style low-fat yogurt, which has been strained so that it's thick and rich-tasting. Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes.

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings as a side dish

Ingredients

• 12  ounces  whole-grain rotini, rotelle, or fusilli pasta
• 1  pound  (30 to 35 per lb.) peeled deveined shrimp, tails removed
• 1/4  cup  olive oil
• 1  medium red onion, chopped
• 3  large garlic cloves, minced
• About 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  red chile flakes
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 2  cups  loosely packed baby spinach leaves
• 1  can (15 oz.) chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed
• 1 1/4  cups  low-fat plain Greek-style yogurt (or whole-milk plain yogurt)
• 1/3  cup  chopped fresh mint leaves
• 2 1/2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons  finely grated lemon zest

Preparation

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender to the bite, 9 to 12 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, toss shrimp with 2 tbsp. olive oil, onion, garlic, 3/4 tsp. salt, chile flakes, and cumin; marinate at room temperature 10 minutes. Preheat a medium frying pan over medium heat, then add shrimp and marinade. Cook, stirring often, until shrimp are pink and firm, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, toss together pasta, shrimp mixture, spinach, chickpeas, yogurt, mint, lemon juice, remaining oil, and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

405 (27% from fat)

Protein:

23g

Fat:

12g (sat 3)

Carbohydrate:

54g

Fiber:

10g

Sodium:

475mg

Cholesterol:

81mg