Easy Pasta Salad
 

This pasta salad is dead easy and many other ingredients can be added or substituted at will.  You could easily use cooked peas and corn, lightly steamed green beans, green capsicum, grated carrot, even drained crushed pineapple.

I haven't been specific regarding the amount of mayonnaise to use.  I've done this deliberately.

You need to add mayo just till there is sufficient for your taste.  Try to use as little as possible because it simply isn't healthy for you.  Try using just enough to coat everything lightly.

Ingredients:

300 gm (about 12 oz) dried pasta - shells would be a good choice
1/2 large red capsicum, chopped finely
3 sticks celery, chopped finely
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped finely
Salt and pepper to taste
Mayonnaise if wanted (but remember this introduces fat to the recipe)

Method:

Cook pasta according to directions on packet.  Drain cooked pasta, add remainder of ingredients and stir well.

Serves 4

Notes:

You can add diced cook meat to this recipe and make it into a full meal.  Diced chicken is good or try left over roast beef.  Any left over pasta salad can be heated the next day and with the addition of grated cheese you have an excellent addition to a hot meal.

Food Facts:

Capsicums are from the nightshade family.  They originated in Central and South America.  They come in an amazing array of colours from bright red, yellows, oranges, purples and greens.  Capsicums can be eaten in their raw form or they can be cooked.  They range from very mild spiciness to extremely hot!  Most species of capsicums contain capsaicin which is the chemical that causes the hot burning sensation when they are eaten. they are good sources of vitamin C.

Celery was once grown primarily for medicinal reasons, particularly by the Chinese.  It has been prominent in Northern European cuisine since the 16th century. It is said that it takes more calories to eat and digest celery than there is in the celery. It is related to carrots, parsley and parsnips.  Celery is high in vitamin C and potassium.

 

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