""GARDEN MARINARA"" Ingredients + Instructions: --------------------------- 2 tblsp olive oil, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, saute--then add: Sweet peppers (green, red, yellow--whatever is available) cut in strips Chopped spinach (about 1/2 cup) 1 small eggplant, chopped 1 small purple onion, chopped 2 cans crushed tomatoes Cook for about 1 hour. Serve over linguine sprinkled with parm/romano cheese.

""Green Olive Pasta"" This is an incredibly easy recipe that is actually quite tasty. Definitely a nice change from your standard pasta with red sauce. You can use just about any kind of olive you have on hand. I actually used some cured black olives this time around. If you have to use those boring, canned black olives, add some chili flakes to spice things up. What You'll Need :   5 oz cooked spaghetti, drained   2 small cloves garlic, minced   6 green olives, chopped   2 teaspoons vegetable oil   2 oz. parmesan cheese, grated   pepper to taste After you cook the spaghetti, heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the garlic for a minute then add the olives. Sauté for another minute or two and then add the spaghetti. Toss for another minute and you're done. Top with grated Parmesan or Mizithra cheese. If this dish is too dry for your taste, add a bit of butter.

""Pasta with Oven Roasted Vegetables and Avocado"" Serves: 8 3 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into ½ inch half rounds 1 medium red onion, sliced into crescents 1 leek (white part only) thinly sliced, rings separated 1 medium red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium yellow bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces 1 Chinese eggplant, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into ½ inch thick half rounds 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided 1 tablespoon olive oil 5 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 8 ounces (about 2 cups) uncooked penne pasta, cooked according to package directions ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and cut into ½ inch cubes ½ cup salt-reduced, fat free chicken broth 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh basil leaves 1 ripe large California avocado, seeded, peeled and cut into 16 slices Garnish-fresh basil leaves In large roasting pan (bottom of broiler pan works well) sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, combine all vegetables. In small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat. Roast in pre-heated 375?F oven for 45 minutes, stirring twice. Remove vegetables from oven and pour on remaining 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. In large bowl, toss together cooked pasta, roasted vegetables, chicken, chicken broth, and basil. Portion into 8 low-sided pasta bowls. Place two slices avocado and a fresh basil leaf on top of pasta. Serve. Calories 219, Protein 11g, Carbohydrates 28g, Dietary Fiber 4g, Fat 8g, Cholesterol 18mg, Sodium 318mg Exchanges Bread/starch 1.2, Other carbs/sugar 0.1, Protein 0.8, Fruit 0.1, Vegetables 1.2, Milk 0, Fat 1.2

""Linguine With Spinach Pesto Sauce"" Serves 4. 2 2/3 cup spinach leaves, fresh, loosely packed 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1/3 cup walnuts 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small garlic clove 1 1/4 teaspoons basil leaves, dried 2 teaspoons TABASCO brand Garlic Pepper Sauce 1/3 teaspoon salt 2/3 lb. linguine, cooked 1. With a food processor or blender, combine spinach, 1/6 cup parmesan cheese, walnuts, olive oil, garlic, basil, TABASCO® brand Garlic Pepper Sauce and salt. Process until mixture is smooth. Makes 2/3 cup spinach pesto. 2. Toss pesto with cooked linguine to mix well. Serve with remaining cheese.

""Cheese Tortellini With Pesto"" Toss refrigerated pasta with a homemade basil sauce, cherry tomatoes, and grated Parmesan for a terrific impromptu meal. Serves: 6. Work Time: 15 minutes.Total Time: 25 minutes 2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated cheese tortellini 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup pine nuts (pignoli), toasted 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 small garlic clove, crushed with garlic press 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, each cut in half or into quarters if large 1. In saucepot, prepare tortellini in boiling water as label directs. Drain tortellini, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Return tortellini to saucepot. 2. In blender, combine basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and reserved pasta cooking water and blend until mixture is smooth, stopping blender occasionally and scraping down sides with rubber spatula. 3. Add basil mixture and tomatoes to tortellini; toss until evenly mixed. Each serving: About 330 calories, 16 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate, 12 g total fat (4 g saturated), 43 mg cholesterol, 480 mg sodium.

""Pasta with Asparagus"" 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes 2 to 3 dashes hot pepper sauce 1/4 cup olive oil 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine 1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-1/2 pieces Salt to taste 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese 1/2 pound mostacccioli or elbow macaroni,     cooked and drained In a skillet, cook garlic, red pepper flakes and hot pepper sauce in oil and butter for 2-3 minutes. Add asparagus, salt and pepper; saute until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese; mix well. Pour over hot pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

""VEGGY PASTA GOULASH"" What You'll Need:  1 medium onion, diced 1/2 small zucchini, shredded 1/2 medium carrot, shredded 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 2 cups cooked pasta 8 oz. tomato sauce 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 2 dashes sugar dash cayenne 2 dashes tabasco sauce salt and pepper, to taste What To Do: Start by boiling some water for the pasta. I prefer to use curly Rotini for this dish. Peel and dice the onion. Add your pasta to the boiling water. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sauté the onions for 2 or 3 minutes. Shred the carrot and zucchini directly into the pan. Add 2 teaspoons of water to steam the veggies a bit. Cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium and add the seasonings. Add the tomato sauce and maybe just a bit of water. Simmer. When the pasta is ready, drain it thoroughly and dump it right into the pan with the veggies/sauce. Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste and you're done! Top with a bit of cheese and serve with warm bread or corn on the cob.