Penne Mediterranean Delight Salad at the Dreamfields pasta site looks cool and light as another hot weekend looms.

The name is sort of lame -- "delight" is not informative -- but penne with hummus and feta and lemon juice, tomatoes and onions sounds very tasty, and it's high in protein as well. Dreamfields is normal-tasting, low-carb pasta that can be used by diabetics and dieters and, to me, tastes exactly like regular pasta (which can use instead if you like, of course).

Pasta Salad with Hummus and Feta

2 cups (dry) Dreamfields Penne Rigate
1 cup red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2/3 cup prepared hummus
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup black and/or green pitted Greek olives, cut in half
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon each salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cold water and drain well.

Gently toss remaining ingredients except pine nuts with pasta. Refrigerate, covered, to chill. Sprinkle with pine nuts before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: 440 calories; 14 g protein; 55 g total carbohydrates; 17 g digestible carbohydrates*; 22 g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 8 mg cholesterol; 1154 mg sodium; 9 g total dietary fiber.

*If traditional pasta is used in this recipe there is a total of 54g carbohydrate per serving.

Comments: Hummus makes a very delicious and different pasta salad dressing. This recipe can serve as a filling lunch salad. If the mixture is dry, drizzle some additional olive oil to moisten. Add the pine nuts just before serving.