{Guest Post Friday} Tuna Rigatoni and The Shine Project Giveaway Winners!

Happy Friday everyone!!

And you know what that means, I get to share with you another fabulous guest blogger!  Today's post features a lovely Aussie from The Food Mentalist.  We're actually guest posting on each others blogs today so hop on over to her site and check out my Tuscan Pasta with Tomato-Basil Cream! 

Erin's blog has always been one of my favorites and her passion for food is incredibly infectious!  This self-proclaimed chocolate addict loves to travel and visits various local supermarkets for new and exciting finds.  I must say I am SUPER jealous of where she resides...the number one location on my list of places to travel is without a doubt Australia!  I mean not only are the accents so cute, the country is absolutely gorgeous!  Erin I'm coming to find you when I visit so you can show me around! :) 

Go check out her fabulous blog and make sure to send her lots of love!  Without further ado, I introduce to you Miss Erin!

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Hello, Eat Yourself Skinny readers!!!

I'm Erin, author of The Food Mentalist - a food blog where I share my love for food through recipes, reviews and travel adventures.  Based in Sydney, Australia, I live with my husband Pete and my crazy black cat Max.  I'm so excited about sharing this great opportunity with Kelly to guest blog for each other as I have been a huge fan of hers for some time now.  I love her healthy recipes and vibrant enthusiasm for good food.

I love food and I REALLY love pasta, however I have often struggled with this love affair.  In fact, I actually swore off pasta altogether earlier this year as one of my New Year Resolutions.  I have since realised that this relationship doesn't have to end altogether and with the help of Kelly and others, I have found many ways to keep pasta healthy and integrate it back into my diet.

For today's guest post I would like to share with you our favorite healthy pasta dish.  It's simple and easy to prepare and perfect for a weeknight dinner.  The recipe is from English celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and it has actually been featured on Oprah.

Kelly has also just posted a fantastic healthy recipe on my blog for Tuscan Pasta with Tomato-Basil Cream so make sure you head on over and check it out, it looks divine!

This recipe makes enough for 4 servings, but Pete and I usually just halve the ingredients when making it for ourselves.  It also calls for rigatoni pasta, but penne and macaroni work equally as well.  You could even use spaghetti if you prefer it.

Please note that it also calls for olive oil, but don't be scared off by this as olive oil is very good for our heart and people living in the Meditteranean have been using it for centuries.  It is jam packed full of vitamins and antioxidants that help prevent heart disease and also lower bad cholesterol.

I hope you love this Delicious Tuna Rigatoni as much as we do!  Enjoy!

Here are your ingredients:

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's Favorite Saturday Pasta

Olive oil

1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 to 2 fresh red chilis, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 bunch fresh basil, leaves picked, stalked chopped

2 cans (14 oz) good-quality plum tomatoes

2 cans (10 oz) good-quality tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound (2 oz) good-quality rigatoni

2 lemons, zest and juice

Small handful freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook the onion, chili, cinnamon and basil on medium to low heat for 5 minutes until onion has softened and is slightly sweet.  Turn up the heat and add your tomatoes, tuna and a good pinch of salt.  Break the tomatoes up using the back of a spoon, then bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Taste for seasoning.

Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a pan of salted boiling water according to the package directions.  When al dente, drain the pasta in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water.

Toss the pasta into the tuna and tomato sauce with the roughly torn basil leaves, a glug of olive oil, the lemon zest and juice and Parmesan, and mix together well.  Loosen the pasta with a little of the reserved cooking water if needed.  Check the seasoning and serve immediately.

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Thanks again Erin for guest posting!  I'll definitely be trying that pasta ASAP!

Sooo now I get to announce the lucky winners of The Shine Project Giveaway!  I must say I was so happy and honored to host this giveaway, Ashley has put her heart and soul into these kids and I hope you all will spread the word by sharing her blog with others!

With that said, the winners of The Shine Project Giveaway are!

(Drum roll please..)

  
Congratulations Kristin!  You are the winner of The Shine Project Necklace!

Congratulations Katie!  You are the winner of The Shine Project T-Shirt!


Thank you to everyone who entered, this giveaway was based off such an amazing cause and thank you AGAIN to Miss Ashley from The Shine Project for offering to give away these super cute items!!