"I wanted to put together an easy dish that was heart healthy and at the same time would be a favorite for the entire family. I started with a family choice of pasta, and then added my favorite heart-wise foods. Everyone loves it!" - Marci B., Lake Placid, Florida

Happy Heart Pasta Primavera

8 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, sliced

1 small yellow squash, sliced

1 cup broccoli florets

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 1/2 cups small frozen cooked shrimp, thawed

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup (1 1/3 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until lightly browned.
3. Add the carrot, squash, broccoli, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes longer, or until crisp-tender.
4. Stir in the shrimp and tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, or until heated through. Pour over the pasta and sprinkle with the cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Heart healthy ingredients: 9

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 296 calories, 103 calories from fat, 12 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 7 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 126 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 12 g protein

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Recipe excerpted from WomenHeart's All Heart Family Cookbook: Featuring the 40 Foods Proven to Promote Heart Health by Kathy Kastan, LCSW, MA ED, and Suzanne Banfield, PhD, with Wendy Leonard and the Members of WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. www.womensheart.org