Serve up these 2 creative pasta dishes

Pasta is a delicious meal option whether you're eating alone or cooking for a group. Try these simple yet creative recipes for pasta salad with arugula and mozzarella or pasta with shrimp and cherry tomatoes.

This recipe takes 15 minutes to prepare, 10 to cook, and serves 4. You'll need the following: 

• 250 g (1/2 lb) penne or rotelle
• 375 ml (1 2/3 cups) cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
• 1⁄2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 110 g (4 oz) arugula leaves, chopped
• 100 g (3.5 oz) mozzarella cheese, cut into 1 cm (1⁄2 in) cubes
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped and soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped pitted black olives
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• 1 ml (1⁄4 tsp) black pepper

1. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water until al dente, following package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
2. Combine the cherry tomatoes, onion, arugula, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and pasta in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add to pasta mixture and toss well. Serve this pasta salad with sliced smoked mozzarella cheese (available from specialty cheese stores) and Italian bread toasted and topped with roasted garlic.

Here are the nutrients each serving contains:

• 368 Calories
• 15 g Protein
• 13 g Fat (including 5 g saturated fat)
• 50 g Carbohydrates (including 4 g fibre)
• 23 mg Cholesterol
• 573 mg Sodium

In addition to their great flavour, cherry tomatoes add plenty of vitamin C plus vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. This recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep, 12 to cook, and serves 4. Here's what you'll need:

• 250 g (1⁄2 lb) medium pasta shells
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 500 g (1 lb) medium green shrimp, cleaned
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 flat canned anchovy fillets
• 2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 600 ml (4 cups) red cherry or grape tomatoes, each cut in half
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh oregano leaves or 5 g (1 tsp) dried, crumbled
• 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) pitted green olives
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) drained capers
• 1 ml (1⁄4 tsp) black pepper

1. Cook pasta shells in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water until al dente, following package instructions.
2. Heat half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimps and one-third of the garlic. Sauté until shrimps just turn pink and curl, or two to three minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Heat remaining oil in the same pan. Add the remaining garlic, the anchovies, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until garlic has softened, or about 30 seconds. Do not let it brown. Add the tomato and oregano. Sauté until tomato is softened, or three to four minutes. Add cooked shrimp, olives, and capers.
4. Drain pasta well. Toss with shrimp and tomato mixture. Sprinkle with black pepper. To round out the meal, serve a salad of mixed greens with the dressing of your choice and a crisp baguette. Serve a variety of sliced apples and cheeses for dessert.

Each serving of this dish contains the following:

• 419 Calories
• 21 g Protein
• 14 g Fat (including 2 g saturated fat)
• 53 g Carbohydrates (including 3 g fibre)
• 129 mg Cholesterol
• 1,141 mg Sodium

Think of pasta like a canvas, and every other ingredient as paint. There really is a nearly unlimited number of possibilities available, and that's why pasta is such a fantastic meal staple. Give these recipes a shot and then keep exploring. There's no end to the flavours you can create and experience.