Penne, Peas, and Neufchatel Cheese

Tonight I made a pasta recipe titled “Creamy Pasta Salad with Bacon, Peas, & Bell Peppers,” from the website An Edible Mosaic (http://www.anediblemosaic.com/?p=10278). As a side note, if you are cruising An Edible Mosaic, the writer’s philosophy on food is nicely stated. It also looks like she has a cookbook out, so take a look.

Here is my take on the salad, served simply over lettuce, with roasted golden beets on the side:

Penne, Peas and Neufchatel Cheese

(Adapted from An Edible Mosaic’s Creamy Pasta Salad with Bacon, Peas, & Bell Peppers)

8oz penne pasta (or other preferred pasta)

½ teaspoon salt, plus more for cooking pasta

1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

4oz Neufchatel cheese (American Neufchatel cheese is a lower-fat alternative to cream cheese)

½ of 1 onion, finely diced

3-5oz greek yogurt, to taste

1 Tablespoon whole-grain mustard

2 ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 red bell pepper, diced (or orange or yellow)

1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside. Whisk all ingredients from ½ teaspoon salt through thyme leaves in a large bowl until completely mixed. Add peas, bell pepper, shallot, and pasta and stir until coated. Serve chilled.