Thinlandia’s Eclectic Blend Lower Fat, Lower Sodium Pasta Salad

Sometimes I really get a yen for “good old-fashioned pasta salad.” However, “good old-fashioned pasta salad” is generally quite fattening! Here is an new, exciting pasta salad with amazing amounts of taste, a lot more nutrition, and very little of the fat and sodium you’ll find in traditional pasta salads.

Thinlandia’s Eclectic Blend Lowfat, Reduced-Sodium Pasta Salad

Four ¾ cup servings (3 cups) uncooked rotini, medium shells, or whichever shape you prefer
25 low sodium black olives, sliced (approximately 2/3 cup)
35 grapes, halved (approximately 1 1/3 cup)
4 Reduced Fat Cheddar cheese sticks, sliced (I use Sargento brand)
3 tablespoons Parmesan or Romano cheese
Two or three bell-type peppers of assorted colors
1 ½ medium-sized dill pickles, chopped
3 green onions, sliced (alternatively, you may prefer using 1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion)

1. Cut the peppers into strips, and lay them out on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Olive Oil Pam. Spray the peppers, then put them into a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until they are soft and brown on the edges. After they are done, cut them into bite-sized pieces. This should make about 1 1/3 cups of roasted pepper. Try not to eat them all before you get them in the salad, they are really yummy after they are roasted!

2. While peppers are roasting, cook pasta to preferred doneness. I like rotini-shaped pasta, and have been mixing tricolor with enhanced protein rotini.

3. Make dressing. First, mix the herbs and spices thoroughly.

Herbs & Spices:

½ -1 teaspoon Also Salt or salt to taste
½ teaspoon sodium free Spike
1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used Lawry’s, of course)
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t onion powder
¼ teaspoon dill weed
Pinch thyme
½ t chives
Pinch sugar
10-20 grinds black pepper
Few red pepper flakes, if desired

After mixing the herbs and spices, add the following:

¼ cup buttermilk
¼ cup plain nonfat yogurt
¼ cup light sour cream
1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) Hellman’s Reduced Fat Mayo with Olive Oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard, or to taste
One teaspoon fresh lemon juice (about the amount in one lemon wedge)

4. Add dressing to rest of ingredients

5. Add additional salt or pepper or seasonings as desired. Make it your own!

6. Mix well, and chill before serving.

Makes 8 – 8 ½ cups. A nice side serving is 1/2 to 3/4 cup; however, nutritional information will be given per cup, and is based on half of the pasta being “protein enhanced” pasta, which gives a higher protein and lower carbohydrate value. Sodium could be very easily decreased by leaving out the dill pickles, which provide nearly half of the sodium!

Nutritional information for approximately one cup of Eclectic Blend Pasta Salad:

Calories: 212
Fat: 7.25 gm
Protein: 9.3 gm
Carbohydrate: 29.75 gm
Sodium: 396 mg
Cholesterol: 10 mg or less