WW, Whole Wheat Pasta Salad for Lunch!

I had a weight watcher's meeting yesterday so I stayed late and Brian and Molly had to fend for themselves for dinner. Daddy did well, they had Healthy Choice chicken noodle soup and a ham and cheese sandwich! When I got home I had leftovers, I was trying to make up for a very bad weekend (WW points wise) and practically starved myself all day, for those of you that know weight watchers I had like 6 points from waking to 6 p.m. which for me was not very much (I had one packet of instant oatmeal and salad all day! My coffee made up the remainder of the points).  Since I had leftovers, I didn't have anything prepared for lunch for the next day so I created this pasta salad. It was delicious!

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad
(WW pts 5)
1/2 cup(s) cherry tomato(es), halved

1 Tbsp scallion(s), chopped
1/2 item(s) bell pepper(s), red, orange or yellow chopped
2 1/2 cup(s) cooked whole wheat pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp white vinegar
3 Tbsp Athenos Blue cheese crumbles
2 cup(s) cooked broccoli, separated into florets and cooked
Instructions
1. Cook spiral whole wheat pasta in salted boiling water to preferred doneness. I like mine at about 10 minutes.
2. While pasta is cooking chop tomatoes, bell pepper, and scallions. Throw these ingredients into a big bowl to combine with pasta.
3. When pasta is done strain and add to veggies in bowl. Allow to cool slightly.
4. Toss broccoli florets into pasta water and cook until desired doneness. Then put in bowl with pasta and other veggies.
5. Toss with oil and vinegar, allow to cool slightly before adding in the blue cheese. Use salt and pepper to taste throughout. Let set overnight to meld flavors (great as a lunch item).

Enjoy!

Leftover Makeover Ham and Brie Sandwiches with Pasta Salad

I made a spiral ham on Sunday, then I cut up the remainder of the meat and froze most of it to use in soups and beans throughout winter. I kept one portion of it out of the freezer though for last nights dinner. We had a ham, brie, and bleu cheese sandwich with a really great pasta salad. We had the left over pasta salad for lunch today and it was still very good.

Ham, Brie & Blue Sandwiches

8 slices thick French country sandwich white bread, sliced
8 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 cups of leftover ham (or steaks)
Preheat grill to medium heat or a grill pan until very hot. (or  you can just use a normal pan... that is what I did)
[1] Layer the brie on half of the bread slices. Spread with apricot preserves and crumbed blue cheese.
[2] Grill the ham steak until browned and heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the ham from the grill and cut into portions (one for each sandwich.) Layer the ham over the brie. Top ham with the remaining bread slices to make sandwiches.
[3] Brush both sides of sandwiches with olive oil and grill until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.

Pasta Salad with Feta and Snow Peas

Prep and cook time: 25 minutes
10 ounces elbow macaroni
1/2 cup snap peas, strings removed, sliced diagonally into strips
1 yellow bell pepper , ribs and seeds removed, chopped into pieces
2 green onions , sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
[1] In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until cooked through but still firm to the bite. During last minute of cooking, add snow peas. Drain pasta and peas in a colander; rinse under cold water.
[2] In a large bowl, combine pasta and peas, bell pepper, green onions, feta, oil, vinegars and salt and pepper. Toss to combine and chill until ready to serve.