Easy
   Gourmet Dinners

Ham, Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Pasta Salad 

          Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes, or less, depending on pasta
     I love cold ham in salads of any type and beans with basil is always a hit.  Here, it all comes together with a lower fat/calorie dressing of half mayonnaise and half Greek Yogurt. 

1 1/4 cups pasta, bite-size, penne        110gr, 3.9oz
1 tbs olive oil        13.5gr, .48oz
1 thick slice deli-style ham, about 8oz        230gr, 8.1oz
6oz green beans        170gr, 6oz
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes - any color        90gr, 3.2oz
1/4 cup mayonnaise        59gr, 2oz
1/4 cup plain or Greek yogurt         75gr, 2.6oz, Greek
1 tbs Dijon mustard        15gr, .53oz
1 tbs lemon juice        15gr, .53oz
2 tbs fresh chives, snipped
2 tbs fresh basil, snipped

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse in cold water and toss with olive oil.  Top and tail beans and cut into 1 inch lengths. Fill a medium saucepan 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add beans and blanch for 3 minutes.  While the beans cook fill a large bowl or pan 3/4 full of cold water.  When the beans are done, drain and dump into the cold water.  Swirl around until cool then drain and set aside.   Snip herbs.  Cut cherry tomatoes in half.  Cut ham into inch squares (or cubes depending on how thick) - or larger if you prefer.  In small bowl whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard and lemon juice.  Put pasta, ham, beans, herbs and tomatoes in large salad bowl.  Add mayonnaise dressing and toss lightly to combine - a tongs works well.   Serve.

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Nutrition Information               Recipe serves 2            Entire Recipe / per serving Calories:  1272 / 636 Total Carbohydrates:  119 / 59.5           Dietary Fiber: 18 / 9 Total Fat:  63 / 31.5          Saturated Fat: 14 / 7 Cholesterol:  162 / 81 Protein:  60 / 30 Calcium:  713 / 356.5 Sodium:   3608 / 1804

General Technical Details and Disclaimer:

Measurements in this color are actual measurements used for calculation.  If there are no values the nutritional numbers were simply too small.

I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it.  I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.

My information comes from my own digital, computerized scale
and the USDA Nutrient Data Library: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/