Tuna Pasta Salad with Peas

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz bow tie pasta
• 5 oz can chunk light tuna in water
• 1 medium lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup diced onion (yellow, purple or green)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 cups frozen sweet peas

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take 2 cups of peas out of the freezer and let thaw on the counter. Cook the bow tie pasta according to the package directions (boil 5-7 minutes). Drain in a colander and let cool.
2. As the pasta is draining and cooling, combine the rest of the ingredients (peas, tuna, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions, salt and pepper). Adjust the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
3. If your pasta is still hot when you are finished combining the rest of the ingredients, run cold water over it until it has cooled down. Make sure to drain the pasta well before combining it with the rest of the ingredients. Stir the pasta into the pea/mayonnaise mixture until it is well coated. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

*You can put the frozen peas directly into the salad without thawing them first as long as you do not plan on serving the salad right away.

*If you want your tuna to stay in chunks, add it last (after the pasta).

Creamy Bacon, Tomato and Avocado Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 lb dried rotini pasta
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook bacon until crisp and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Run cold water over pasta until cooled.
3. While bacon and pasta are cooking, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon, salt, garlic powder, pepper and dill.
4. Stir cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado and bacon into the dressing. Toss to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then serve.