This simple pasta dish is easy to make, and hopefully it will encourage your children to enjoy eating more vegetables.

Serves:

4

Preparation time:

15 minutes

Cooking time:

15 minutes

Approximate cost for recipe:

£4.88

Approximate cost per serving:

£1.22

• 250g dried pasta shapes
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and chopped
• 100g sugar snap peas or fine green beans, sliced
• 200g broccoli, broken into small florets
• 1 red or yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 75g frozen peas, thawed
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 200g tub low-fat soft cheese with garlic and herbs
• 50ml semi-skimmed milk
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1. Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes, or according to pack instructions, until just tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok, brushing it over the surface. Add the spring onions, sugar snap peas or green beans, broccoli and red or yellow pepper and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the peas, then turn off the heat.
3. Drain the cooked pasta, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking water. Return this cooking liquid to the saucepan and add the low-fat soft cheese, milk and lemon zest. Heat, stirring with a whisk, until hot and smooth.
4. Tip the pasta and cooked vegetables into the sauce and stir gently for 1-2 minutes to heat through.

Tip 1: Finish off each portion of pasta with 2 teaspoons of finely grated reduced-fat cheese, if you like.

Tip 2: Use plain low-fat soft cheese if your children don't like garlic.