Pasta dishes are always instant hits; check out some unique and delicious pasta dishes from Good Housekeeping in their collection of Noodle and Pasta Recipes. Here is a recipe for Angel Hair with Shrimp and Scallops.

Angel Hair with Shrimp and Scallops

From Good Housekeeping

A quick midweek entrée when you want something a little special: fresh seafood and tender zucchini cooked with garlic and white wine, then tossed with a delicate pasta.

Serves: 4
Yields: 4
Total Time: 35 min
Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients

Salt
8 ounce(s) angel-hair pasta or capellini
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
3 small zucchini, each cut lengthwise in half, then thinly sliced crosswise
8 ounce(s) medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 ounce(s) sea scallops, each cut horizontally in half
1 teaspoon(s) freshly grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup(s) dry white wine
1 bottle(s) (8 ounces) clam juice
3/4 cup(s) (loosely packed) fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Directions

Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat; add angel hair and cook as label directs.
Meanwhile, in nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add zucchini and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until tender and golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer zucchini to large serving bowl; set aside.
In same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add shrimp, scallops, lemon peel, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook 3 minutes or just until seafood turns opaque throughout, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Transfer mixture to bowl with zucchini.
Add wine and clam juice to skillet; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cook 2 minutes, stirring. Pour liquid over seafood mixture.
Drain angel hair. Add angel hair and parsley to bowl with seafood mixture and toss well to coat.


Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories 405
Total Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 91mg
Sodium 955mg
Total Carbohydrate 50g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars --
Protein 28g
Calcium --

Hot Chile Grilled Cheese

Eating Well has an interesting collection of Quick, Low Calorie Meals. Here is a recipe for Hot Chile Grilled Cheese; this is actually my favorite way to eat grilled cheese; I'm really excited to try this one.

Hot Chile Grilled Cheese

From EatingWell: March/April 2010

This deconstructed version of a chile relleno turned sandwich packs some heat and an ooey-gooey filling. We like the flavor of sourdough, but any kind of bread will work well. Serve with: Coleslaw and sliced pineapple.

4 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes


INGREDIENTS
4 poblano peppers (see Note)
1 14-ounce can pinto beans, preferably low-sodium
3 tablespoons prepared salsa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
3 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 slices sourdough bread

PREPARATION
Place peppers in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on High until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, combine beans, salsa and salt in a medium bowl. Mash the beans with a fork until they begin to form a paste (some can remain whole). Combine cheese, yogurt, scallions and cilantro in a small bowl.
When the peppers are cool enough to handle, slice each one in half lengthwise and remove the stem and seeds.
Heat a panini maker to high. (No panini maker? See Stovetop Variation, below.)
Spread 1/3 cup of the bean mixture on each of 4 slices of bread. Top with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Place 2 pepper halves over the cheese. Cover with the remaining slices of bread.
Grill the sandwiches in the panini maker until golden brown and through, about 4 minutes. Cut in half and serve immediately.

TIPS & NOTES
Note: Dark green poblano peppers, smaller than a bell pepper but larger than a jalapeño, can be fiery or relatively mild; there’s no way to tell until you taste them. Find them near other fresh peppers at most large supermarkets.
Stovetop Variation: Place four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) by the stove. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 sandwiches in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the sandwiches, then weight it down with the cans. Cook the sandwiches until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the sandwiches, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining 2 sandwiches.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 415 calories; 6 g fat ( 3 g sat , 1 g mono ); 13 mg cholesterol; 70 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 19 g protein; 9 g fiber; 761 mg sodium; 307 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (163% daily value), Folate (39% dv), Iron (20% dv)

Carbohydrate Servings: 4

Exchanges: 3 1/2 starch, vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat

Everybody loves an awesome dessert...when desserts include chocolate, you know that everyone will go wild. Here is a recipe for Chocolate Crunch from Eating Well's collection of Instant Chocolate Desserts

Pistachio Chocolate Pudding

From EatingWell: March/April 2007

Pudding snack cups are great to have on hand for those times when nothing but a smooth and creamy treat will satisfy. Substitute your favorite nut for the pistachios if you prefer.

1 serving

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 prepared low-fat chocolate pudding snack cup
1 tablespoon chopped pistachios

PREPARATION
Top pudding cup with pistachios.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 147 calories; 4 g fat ( 1 g sat , 2 g mono ); 2 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 193 mg sodium; 318 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 1 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Apricot Pecan Oatmeal Muffins

Here is a recipe for Apricot Pecan Oatmeal Muffins from Dr. Oz.

APRICOT PECAN OATMEAL MUFFINS

These muffins from "Blue Ribbon Baker" Marjorie Johnson are a great option for a healthy breakfast. With fiber from the apricots, healthy fats from the pecans and whole grains from the oatmeal, they're pretty perfect muffins.

ADDED TO RECIPES ON FRI 02/25/2011

Ingredients
Makes 12 muffins
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking power
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup canola oil
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

Directions
Place oats and buttermilk in a bowl. Stir to combine. Cover and let stand for 20-30 minutes. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in apricots and pecans. Add oil, egg and brown sugar to the oatmeal mixture and combine well. Pour the oatmeal mixture into the flour mixture. Stir just to moisten the dry ingredients. It will look lumpy. Divide batter into 12 greased muffin cups.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack.

Recipe courtesy of Marjorie Johnson.

From Self's November 2008 feature of Eat Healthy All Week, here is an recipe for cinnamon chocolate chip pancakes.

Cinnamon–Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Makes 3 medium pancakes

INGREDIENTS

Topping

• 1 tablespoon lowfat sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Pancakes

• 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries

PREPARATION

1. For topping

   Mix sour cream, zest and sugar in a bowl until smooth; refrigerate.

2. For pancakes

   Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Place egg white, honey, chocolate chips and milk in well. Stir liquid with a wooden spoon until flour is just combined. Heat a griddle over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle and cook until bubbles appear on surface and undersides are golden brown, about 1 minute. Flip and cook other side, about 1 minute more. Top with a spoonful of sour cream mixture and berries.

THE SKINNY

335 calories, 6.4 g fat (3.1 g saturated), 58.9 g carbs, 6.6 g fiber, 15 g protein

For those of us cooking for just one, here are some more recipes for delicious single serving dinners. This set is from Delish's Dinner For One feature.

Linguine with Shrimp and White Wine

From Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

Everyone needs a delicious, 20-minute pasta recipe in their repertoire, and this shrimp version is sure to become a favorite.

Serves: 1 Edit
Total Time: 20 min
Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 ounce(s) (about a 1/2-inch-wide handful) linguine
1 tablespoon(s) cold butter, cut into pieces
1 clove(s) garlic, minced
Crushed red-pepper flakes
1/3 cup(s) dry white wine
1/4 pound(s) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh lemon juice
Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet, melt half the butter over medium. Add garlic and pinch of red-pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Raise heat to medium-high; add wine. Cook until reduced by 1/3, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; swirl in lemon juice and remaining butter. Add pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with parsley.

Everybody loves an awesome dessert...when desserts include chocolate, you know that everyone will go wild. Here is a recipe for Chocolate Crunch from Eating Well's collection of Instant Chocolate Desserts.

Chocolate Crunch

From EatingWell

Crunchy wheat cereal, pretzels and almonds coated in bittersweet chocolate makes an addictive sweet-salty snack.

4 servings, about 3/4 cup each

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Wheat Chex cereal, (2 ounces)
1 cup pretzel sticks broken in half, (2 ounces)
1/4 cup salted roasted almonds, (2 1/2 ounces)
3 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips, melted (see Tip)

PREPARATION
Combine Chex, pretzels and almonds in a medium bowl. Drizzle with melted chocolate; stir to combine. Spread the mixture on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Tip: To melt chocolate: Microwave on Medium for 1 minute. Stir, then continue microwaving on Medium in 20-second intervals until melted, stirring after each interval. Or place in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir until melted.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 218 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 397 mg sodium; 176 mg potassium.

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 carbohydrate (other), 2 fat

From Self's November 2008 feature of Eat Healthy All Week, here's a spin on fish and chips.

Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices cucumber
• 6 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 medium romaine leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 slices zucchini
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 2 small sweet potatoes (about 1/2 lb)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika, divided
• 1 teaspoon reduced-fat Parmesan
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup whole-grain seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 cod filet (6 oz), cut into 6 strips
• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Carrot-Ginger Dressing or Roasted Garlic–Balsamic Vinaigrette

PREPARATION

1. Combine cucumber, tomatoes, romaine and zucchini in a bowl; set aside. Heat oven to 400°. Cover 2 large baking sheets with foil and coat both with cooking spray. Poke holes in sweet potatoes with a fork; microwave in a small microwave-safe dish until fragrant but still firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Trim ends of 1 potato and slice into 1/4-inch-thick fries. Transfer fries to 1 baking sheet; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp paprika and cheese. Bake until golden and tender, 30 to 35 minutes. (Microwave remaining potato until very soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for Saturday's Sweet Potato Soup.) Place egg white and breadcrumbs in 2 separate shallow bowls. Sprinkle fish with vinegar, remaining 1/8 tsp salt and remaining 1/8 tsp paprika. Dip fish into egg, then breadcrumbs, to coat. Place on second cookie sheet and coat top of fish with cooking spray. Bake until breadcrumbs are brown and fish flakes, 12 to 15 minutes. Top salad with dressing and serve with fish and fries.

THE SKINNY

503 calories per serving, 8.8 g fat (1.4 g saturated), 62.1 g carbs, 9.6 g fiber, 44 g protein