Health library

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat thin spaghetti

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 large tomatoes, rinsed, cored, and cubed

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, rinsed, dried, and cut into 1/8-inch wide slivers

3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese (chunk package), cubed

8 pitted black olives, cut into long slivers

Directions

• In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat.
• Add spaghetti, and cook according to package directions for the shortest recommended time, about 6 minutes. (Whole-wheat pasta tends to fall apart if overcooked.)
• Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain spaghetti.
• Add the spaghetti back into the pasta pot. Toss with olive oil and just enough reserved water to coat well.
• Add the tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and olives. Toss gently until well mixed.
• Divide pasta evenly among four dinner plates (about 2 1/4 cups each). Serve immediately.

Nutrition information

Serving size: 2 1/4 cups pasta. Amount per serving: 342 calories, 10g total fat (3g saturated fat), 11mg cholesterol, 52g carbohydrates, 13g protein, 9g dietary fiber, 233mg sodium.

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute