Pasta Salad
For this quick and easy pasta salad, we used gluten free spiral pasta made from brown rice. They take a bit longer to cook (about 15-17 minutes) but their taste and texture are perfect for a pasta salad. After rinsing and draining the pasta, we added about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and tossed to coat. From there we added about a cup of chopped baby spinach, one red bell pepper (chopped), 3 scallions (chopped), 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan/asiago mixture, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. If you want a vegetarian version then you can stop here. We opted to boost the protein content by adding chicken tenders that we marinated in pesto, grilled, and chopped into bite-size pieces.
Pasta salad is so versatile. Use whatever extra vegetables you have on hand. If you don’t have any fresh protein to add, consider adding canned salmon, tuna, or chicken to bump up the protein. Alternatively, you can add a can of black beans (rinsed) and some diced jalapeno to turn up the heat.
May 3, 2011
by Optimum WellnessComments
Leave a Reply
