Pastas and Grains

Pumpkin pie spice--a blend of several spices, including cinnamon and ginger--may be unexpected, but it imbues this vegetarian entree with the characteristic flavors of the Middle East in just one ingredient. 97248

Couscous looks like a grain but is actually a tiny pasta. The precooked variety available in most supermarkets cooks in just 5 minutes.

Carrots, zucchini and garbanzo beans combine in this Moroccan-inspired, quick couscous side dish. Adding hot pepper sauce to the cooking broth gives it an authentic spicy kick.

In Jewish cooking, a kugel is a traditional baked pudding usually made using noodles or potatoes; it can be either sweet or savory. This entree version, laden with zucchini and carrots, is pure comfort food. And because most of the dairy richness comes from cottage cheese, it’s quite low in fat.

Darcy Kennedy was driven to learn how to cook by her passion for creating healthy, delicious meals for her family. This particular recipe was developed as a way to get her children and grandchildren to eat more vegetables. “I chose zucchini and squash because they’re two of my favorite vegetables; I added carrots for color and shredded them for crunch; and I added spinach for its nutritional value,” Darcy says. The dish was a hit the first time she made it.

Anchovies heighten the clams’ taste in this sauce. Toasted bread crumbs add a little crunch and help bind the sauce. Mushroom-Parmesan Salad is the perfect accompaniment.

The light, fresh feel of Vietnamese cooking is highlighted in this recipe, which tosses thin vermicelli noodles with vegetables and a sweet-tangy dressing.

This pasta salad is laced with bold, earthy flavor, thanks to a base of whole wheat pasta and a touch of balsamic vinegar.

This version of spaghetti carbonara has been given a nutritional upgrade with some changes to the traditional dish: prosciutto (a leaner cut of pork) stands in for pancetta, whole wheat spaghetti replaces pasta made from refined flour, and soy beans are added. Because the eggs aren’t cooked, egg substitute is used, ensuring the dish is safe to eat.

A mix of three different varieties makes this starter a mushroom-lover’s dream. Make sure to use a good-quality, fruity olive oil because it adds a finishing dash of flavor to the pasta.