Green Bean Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

The delicious combination of green beans with sun-dried and fresh tomatoes is colourful and has lots of crunchy texture to contrast with the pasta. Instead of the beans, you can use asparagus or broccoli.

Garlic Scape and Zucchini Blossom Pasta

This simple, gourmet seasonal pasta is so quick to make that it's perfect for busy nights. Zucchini blossoms are very delicate, so it's best to add them at the very last minute. Look for tightly closed bright yellow blossoms that are free of blemishes and use them within a day or two, because they don't last long in the refrigerator.

Tuna, White Bean and Pasta Salad with Basil

Pack this in a container with separate compartments — the pasta tossed with some dressing in one, the eggs, tuna and red pepper in other compartments. Your child will have fun building the salad and it won't become soggy while it waits in the fridge at school for lunchtime.

Baked Sausage and Pepper Pasta With Mozzarella and Provolone

This Italian household favourite is a sure hit with any crowd. The freeze-ahead part is a flavourful sausage-and-tomato sauce. Just thaw, toss with cooked pasta and sprinkle with cheese before baking. This recipe makes enough sauce for two batches.

Maple Salmon pesto pasta

Serve with the Late Harvest Riesling by Inniskillin; it reminds me of home and is a perfect compliment to this dish. I like to use a wide fresh pasta but penne also works. My inspiration for this came many years ago when I moved to Halifax fom Vancouver.(One sea side town to another!) All the ingredients can be purchased from the weekly farmer's market downtown. I use my grandmother's old Italian recipe for pesto and always keep a container for that in the freezer. I use the "happy poultry" carcasses from the butcher to make the stock. I store this in the freezer and cut chunks off for this recipe. The salmon can be purchased for 1/2 price if you buy the trimmings. For those who don't make their own pesto and stock, use your favorite brand in the specialty or grocery store. This is not an expensive recipe and can altered by including curry which gives it an extra zip. Easily my husband's favorite dish that I throw together for my 4 kids even after a full day of teaching math with gr 8 and 9s!

Bruschetta Pasta

Green beans and garlic bread round out this Italian-inspired dinner.

Pasta Fagioli

Mediterranean Pasta

Easy on the budget and appetizing on the plate, this dish from food writer Julie Aldis needs only warm Italian bread and a green salad for a casual company meal. Pass some Parmesan cheese for sprinkling if desired.

Baked Pasta

A hint of chili and some corn add a Mexican touch to this ground-beef-and-tomato recipe from Julie Rowe. Serve with garlic bread and romaine salad.

Rotini Pasta Salad

238 Calories, 6.6 g fat