Quick Fix: Barbecued Pork Pasta Salad perfect for Labor Day (or anytime)

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Aug 28

Linda Gassenheimer | Tribune News Service (TNS)

Thinking of the holiday weekend coming up or for any weeknight meal, here's a pasta salad that can be made in advance and served at room temperature. The pork for this salad is cooked on the grill.

The variety of flavors and textures of the barbecued pork, crisp, fresh vegetables and tangy dressing make a tasty combination in this easy salad meal.

Helpful Hints:

— You can use any short cut pasta.

— You can also cook pork under a broiler or in a skillet. Use the times given and check with a meat thermometer.

Countdown:

— Preheat grill.

— Prepare ingredients.

— Place water for pasta on to boil.

— Place pork on grill.

— While pork grills, make sauce, microwave beans and boil pasta.

— Assemble the salad.

Shopping List:

To buy: 3/4 pound pork tenderloin, 1 can vegetable oil spray, 1 package fusilli pasta, 1 bottle reduced fat mayonnaise, 1 bottle prepared horseradish, 1 bottle no-sugar-added barbecue sauce, 1 lemon, 1/4 pound green beans, 1 bunch scallions, 1 medium tomato, 1 head lettuce.

Staples: salt and black peppercorns.

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BARBECUED PORK PASTA SALAD

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

3/4 pound pork tenderloin
Vegetable oil spray
1/4 pound fusilli (corkscrew) pasta, (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
2 scallions, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup no-sugar-added barbecue sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Several lettuce leaves, washed

Preheat grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove visible fat from the pork and spray with vegetable oil spray. Place the tenderloin over direct heat for 5 minutes. Close the grill lid or if you do not have a grill lid, cover pork with foil. Turn pork over and grill for 4 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 135 degrees. Remove to a plate and cover with foil. Place water for pasta on to boil. When boiling, add pasta and cook for 8 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain. Mix mayonnaise, horseradish and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Place beans in a microwaveable bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Add the beans, scallions, tomato and pasta to the mayonnaise mixture. Cut pork into thin, about 1/4-inch, slices, and spoon barbecue sauce on top. Mix well and add to the mayonnaise mixture. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place the lettuce leaves on 2 dinner plates and spoon salad on top.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 615 calories (18% from fat), 12.3 g fat (2.2 g saturated, 4 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 45.6 g protein, 79 g carbohydrates, 5.1 g fiber, 1,035 mg sodium.

(Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, "The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook." Listen to Linda on http://www.WDNA.org and all major podcast sites. Email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.)