Brown Rice Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella and Tomatoes

Pasta is a popular dish in America.  It is easy and quick to make and it is filling.  Some people however, over do it on pasta, and eat entirely too much.  Try having a small bowl of it and supplement the meal with a green salad.  The white flour variety can cause a sharp increase in your glucose level so this might be something you want to consider changing. Moving to a  whole grain pasta can be a simple step to improve your health. In addition, I have gluten sensitivity so I have to use alternative blends.  


This is a perfect summer time meal as it requires little cooking, only the heating of the water for the pasta.  Then you throw in all the ingredients, toss, and enjoy. This is also a good week night meal for busy people and kids love it. 


This is a pasta made with brown rice flour that you can buy at Trader Joe's, Sprouts, or other health food stores.  Ciliegine is the mozzarella that is sold in little 1 inch balls.  Certainly if you can't find ciliegine you could use a larger shape and just cut it into 1/2 inch pieces. 


I start by preparing all my ingredients.  Mise en place is the term used in professional kitchens meaning literally "putting in place".  Before you start cooking you get everything ready so that once the cooking process starts all your ingredients are prepared and ready to grab quickly. 


Ingredients:
6 ounces pasta 
8 ounces ciliegine 
8 ounces organic grape or cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
3 tbsp fresh chopped basil 
1 tbsp fresh chopped chives


Mise en place: Prepare all and put into individual bowls. 
Slice the tomatoes in half. 
Slice the ciliegine in half. 
Chop the herbs. 
Measure the oil and balsamic. 
Line up your bowls next to the stove so they are ready. 

In a large stockpot cook the pasta according to package directions. 


When pasta is done, reserve about 1 half cup of the liquid, then drain the pasta quickly and return to the pan. Add all the ingredients and toss well.  The cheese will just slightly begin to melt. If you need more moisture, which I usually do, I add some of the pasta water until I get it to the consistency I want. I would guess this would require anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 cup. 


Serves 2.