Not-My-Mom's Macaroni Salad

2 tablespoons kosher salt

½

pound dried elbow macaroni

1 cup low-fat mayonnaise (1 fat gram per tablespoon)

¼

cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 packets artificial sweetener

1½

teaspoons celery seeds

½

teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

½

cup sugar-free sweet pickle relish

½

medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped

¼

cup chopped flat leaf parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried)

Bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot and then stir in salt. Add macaroni and stir until the water returns to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and boil for 7 to 8 minutes, or until a noodle offers little resistance when bitten. Measure out and set aside a half-cup of macaroni cooking water and then drain macaroni well and evenly spread out on a nonstick baking pan to cool to room temperature. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, artificial sweetener, celery seeds and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and the macaroni to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated with the dressing. If dressing seems too thick, thin it with some of the reserved macaroni cooking water. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

Serves eight as a side dish.

Cook's note: I don't use the higher-fiber or whole-grain pasta in the recipe because I've found that it doesn't hold well after a couple of days. If you're going to consume all of this salad within hours of preparation, consider using a healthier pasta.

@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving: 177 calories (14.6 percent from fat), 2.9 g fat (0.1 g saturated), 33.4 g carbohydrates, 1.6 g fiber, 4.4 g protein, 1 mg cholesterol, 301 mg sodium.