Healthy rice and pasta salad recipes?

Im wanting to eat healthy so im looking for rice salad and pasta salad recipes if anyone has any.


Also any other healthy recipes if you dont mind sharing!


Thanks heaps.Healthy rice and pasta salad recipes?
best Mac Salad:


1 lb. salad macaroni, cooked according to package directions, drained and rinsed.


1/2 to one onion, diced


2 or 3 dill pickles, diced


1 small can chopped black olives


1 cheddar cheese, cut into 1/8th inch dice


2 hard boiled eggs, diced


Combine all of the above with and olive oil, and mayonnaise





VARIATIONS:


1 can artichoke hearts, chopped


green olives stuffed with pimento for the black olives


sweet pickles for the dill


sour cream and dill dressing


multi colored bow-ties or rotelle in place of the salad mac


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SWEET PASTA SALAD


This is a wonderfully easy recipe.





INGREDIENTS


1 pound rotini pasta


4 carrots, shredded


1 green bell pepper, chopped


1 onion, diced


1 cup distilled white vinegar


1 cup white sugar


1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk


2 cups mayonnaise


1 teaspoon salt


1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper





DIRECTIONS


Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.


In large bowl, combine pasta, carrot, green pepper and onion. In medium bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, condensed milk, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Toss salad with dressing and chill 4 hours in refrigerator before serving


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Pasta Salad





1lb small seashell mac (cooked)


1 large sweet onion, chopped


1/2 lb cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes


4 kosher dill picles, finely chopped


2 cans water packed tuna, drained


1/2 c flat leaf parsley, minced (opt)





Dressing:





2 c mayo


thin with 1/4 c dill pickle juice


4 Tbls sugar


1 tsp onion powder


1 tsp season salt


1 Tbl mustard


1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper


1 Tbl dill weed (opt)





I also make this with left over flaked salmon in place of tuna


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Bacon Bacon Potato Salad


Ingredients


5 large red potatoes


1 small diced onion


2 cups real mayonnaise


1/4 cup mustard


1/4 cup Bacon Bacon鈩?br>

2 Tbsp. vinegar


1-2 Tbsp. Onion Onion鈩?br>

2 Tbsp. dill pickle relish


1-2 tsp. dry Fiesta Party Dip Mix鈩?br>

Ground black pepper to taste





Directions


Boil potatoes in water until tender; cool and dice. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl; fold in potatoes. Refrigerate 1-2 hours. Makes 6-8 servings.





Balsamic %26amp; Basil Potato Salad


2 Tbsp. Balsamic %26amp; Basil Dipping Oil


1/2 cup mayonnaise


2 lbs. cooked, quartered new red potatoes


1/4 cup minced red onion





Directions


Combine first 2 ingredients; pour over potatoes and onion. Mix well. Chill 2 hours. Makes 6 servings.








Cool 'n Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad


Ingredients


2 (.5 oz.) pkgs. Cool 'n Creamy Cucumber


1 cup mayonnaise


1 cup sour cream


2 Tbsp. Onion Onion鈩?br>

6 oz. jar chopped marinated artichoke hearts


2.25 oz. can sliced olives


1 chopped medium cucumber


1 chopped large tomato


8 oz. pkg. cooked, drained macaroni


1/3 cup milk





Directions


Combine first 4 ingredients; blend well. Add artichokes, olives, cucumber and tomato; fold together. Add mixture to macaroni; add milk to make creamy. Makes 4-6 servings.Healthy rice and pasta salad recipes?
1 1/2 cups water


2 tablespoons vegetable oil


1/2 teaspoon salt


1 cup instant medium couscous


1/3 cup chopped green onion


2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped


4 ounces low-fat feta cheese


4 ounces shelled California Walnuts


3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint


3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano





Dressing:


1/4 cup fresh lemon juice


1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil


Freshly ground pepper, to taste


In a medium saucepan, bring water, 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and salt to a boil. Add couscous; stir, cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 4 minutes. Add remaining vegetable oil and stir with a fork to separate grains; cool to room temperature.


In large bowl, combine couscous, green onion, tomatoes, cheese, walnuts and herbs.


Whisk together lemon juice and olive oil and pour over salad, combining well. Season with freshly ground pepper.


Serve chilled or at room temperature.


Makes 4 servings





While you are at that. How about a HEALTHY COOKIE for desert? Yea you heard right a healthy cookie.








Dense and crunchy, these are the classic Italian dunking cookies. Although they are traditionally dipped in Vin Santo, a sweet Italian dessert wine, these chocolaty biscotti are ultra-satisfying with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.





Makes about 32 biscotti





ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes





TOTAL TIME: 1 3/4 hours





EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy





1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder


1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder


1/2 teaspoon baking soda


1/2 teaspoon salt


3 large eggs


1 large egg yolk


1 cup sugar or 1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking


1 tablespoon vanilla extract


5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips, melted (see Cooking Tip)





1. Position rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 325掳F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.


2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another large bowl, beat eggs, egg yolk and sugar (or Splenda) with an electric mixer until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate. Stir in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until just moistened.


3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead for 1 minute, then divide in half. Roll each piece into an 8-inch log; flatten slightly to about 3/4 inch high and 3 1/2 inches wide. Place the logs side by side on one of the prepared baking sheets.


4. Bake until lightly browned and firm, about 20 minutes. Cool on the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Keep the oven on; switch the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven.


5. Slice the logs on the diagonal into cookies 1/2 inch thick. Arrange, cut-side down, on the 2 baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the biscotti over and rotate the pans from top to bottom; bake until dry, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.





NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per biscotti: 97 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 26 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 78 mg sodium; 46 mg potassium.





Exchanges: 1 starch





1 Carbohydrate Serving








Per biscotti with Splenda: 1 Carbohydrate Serving; 88 calories, 15 g carbohydrate





TIP: Cooking Tip: To melt chocolate:


1. Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a double boiler set over medium-high heat, then place chocolate in the top pan. (Alternatively, to improvise a double boiler, place chocolate in a heat-safe mixing bowl that fits snugly over a pan with 1 inch of simmering water.) Stir until half the chocolate has melted. Remove the bowl and continue stirring until the chocolate has fully melted. Cool for 5 minutes at room temperature.


2. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on High for 1 minute. Stir well, then continue microwaving in 30-second increments on High until two-thirds of the chocolate has melted, stirring well after each heating. Remove the bowl and continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Cool for 5 minutes at room temperature.





MAKE AHEAD TIP: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Well rice and pasta are carbohydrates which is not so healthy if you eat a lot. Although adding veggies and lots of them will stretch the rice and/or pasta so you would not be eating as much of the pasta or rice. I would say too to use olive oil if you have any recipes say for oil and vinegar dressing





Here is the Pasta Salad that I make:





Make it with the whole wheat pasta.


Cook up your whole wheat pasta according to directions, drain, rinse with cold water to cool the pasta down, drain.





Add a bunch of low cal veggies, onions, green pepper, chopped tomato, sliced celery, sliced carrots, chopped cauliflower, sliced quartered cucumbers. Add just a few sliced black olives to give it extra appetizing color. A few because they are high fat, but a good fat. A little salt .. a fair amount of pepper. Toss





Now, mix some olive oil and vinegar together. Use 1/4 cup olive oil to 1/2 cup vinegar. I find I don't have to use a lot of oil. Next add some italian herbs, the dried ones. Mix well.





I don't use a lot of this dressing. Most of those pasta salads have the ingredients floating in that dressing. Just put a small amount of dressing on the pasta salad, toss. Taste it after an hour.. see if it needs more. Keep in fridge.





For me this is easy and quick and makes a lot. Pretty too! This can be made ahead and will keep well.
CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD








INGREDIENTS


鈥?4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni


鈥?1 cup mayonnaise (Lite or lo-cal is very OK)


鈥?1/4 cup distilled white vinegar


鈥?2/3 cup white sugar


鈥?2 1/2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard


鈥?1 1/2 teaspoons salt


鈥?1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


鈥?1 large onion, chopped


鈥?2 stalks celery, chopped


鈥?1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped


鈥?1/4 cup grated carrot (optional)


鈥?2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers (optional)


DIRECTIONS


1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain.


2. In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion, celery, green pepper, carrot, pimentos and macaroni. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.