Zehrs

We’ve kept the fat down in this tasty ham-pasta salad by mainly using puréed peas for the dressing. Great for a potluck or picnic.

In true Italian style, this pasta is sparsely sauced. This delicious tossed pasta comes together in minutes. Serve with a green salad and a tumbler of wine.

Pasta e fagioli or pasta and beans is pure comfort, and inexpensive to boot. The pasta in this hearty vegetarian soup continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so you may have to thin leftovers with some more water or stock.

A lemony butter sauce with pancetta and peppery arugula dress up cheese tortellini. Saving a bit of pasta cooking water is always a good idea; it bulks up the sauce but is thicker than water as it has some starch from the cooked pasta in it.

For kids who are fussy eaters, try hiding mashed sweet potato in this clever mac and cheese; it has the orange colour that many kids expect. Pasta absorbs more sauce as it stands so when reheating, add a splash of milk to attain desired consistency.

There’s no need to feel guilty about indulging in this creamy pasta dressed with our fat free Greek yogurt

Fennel has a slight licorice flavour, and is a commonly partnered with fish or seafood. You can use orange or lemon rind as you prefer; any citrus makes a great foil for fish. This recipe is a great way to stretch a can of tuna to feed six, without anyone feeling deprived.

Buying chicken pieces on the bone and with skin is more economical than buying them skinned or boned. You can easily remove the skin or bones yourself, as required in your recipe. Boning chicken breasts is easiest to do with a thin, flexible boning knife.

Some of the classic pizza flavours appear in this yummy pasta dish. If some of your family like spice and some don’t, simply put the hot pepper flakes on the table so everyone can add to their own serving, perhaps accompanied by PC 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, just like they have on the tables of Italian pizza places.