Quick Salmon Pasta and Peas

I saw a recipe for a quick pasta salad on Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog and thought it looked like a great, quick lunch for a weekend! So I went to my cupboards, fridge and freezer and found a couple half opened bags that would work well and also gave myself a little pat on the back for using up a few things and not needing anything "new" for a recipe for a change!! :)

Started with light mayo, organic frozen peas, brown rice pasta, sea salt, black pepper and a can of Great Value salmon.

I placed the salmon in a bowl and stirred to break up the meat.

Next came the mayo.

The pasta was added to the boiling water and I set a timer for about 15 minutes.

The pepper went in next; I ended up leaving the salt out and didn't need it - I thought the other ingredients gave it plenty of flavor!

I measured out my peas and prepared to add them to the boiling pasta at the end to defrost and soften them a little.

I decided to throw a can of mushrooms into mine! We like mushrooms in just about everything!

The pasta was about done, so I added the peas to the hot water.

I decided to add a little fresh diced tomato to mine, so I got that ready.

The pasta and peas were ready, so I drained those in the sink.

I added the hot pasta and vegetable to the meat mixture and stirred gently to combine it all.

It was a very quick and easy pasta dish - nice and light for a weekend lunch, and made leftovers that could easily be refrigerated and taken to work. Easily adjustable for your taste and preference!

Unfortunately the Great Value can of salmon was a bad idea. It makes a big difference, I think, to use better quality canned salmon! Ours had chunks of bone in it. Blech! But aside from that issue - I really enjoyed the recipe. Quick and easy and tasty. I had a little tupperware of leftovers for lunch the next day and thought it refrigerated well and made a quick and easy work lunch as well. Unfortunately neither the Boy or the Man thought much of this one. Hubby couldn't really pinpoint why he didn't like it, he just didn't. I think it may largely be due to the quality of the meat which was a total bummer as it apparently ruined an otherwise good meal! Oh well, I learned my lesson!! Now to figure out what to do with the other can that's still in my pantry... maybe the local cats would enjoy a fishy treat?!

Recipe slightly adapted from Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog

Ingredients

2 cups pasta of your choice (dry)

1 large can salmon, drained
1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen peas, defrosted and lightly steamed to preserve crunch
1 4-oz can mushrooms, drained (optional)
1/2 cup (or to taste) mayo of choice
Black pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste, optional

Directions
Bring pot of water with pinch of salt to boil; cook pasta to desired firmness according to package directions. About 3-5 minutes before pasta is done add frozen peas to boiling water to defrost slightly; drain and set aside to cool.

Drain and chop canned salmon; mix with mayo, black pepper, and sea salt to taste (if desired, optional) and combine with pasta and peas.

Serve warm or chilled.