Traditional pasta salads are a staple at summer outings, but in many cases they are a “diet” disaster. Dump the creamy, mayo based dressings, double up the veggies, use a whole grain or fortified pasta like Dreamfields and add lots of fresh herbs to make a flavorful vinaigrette. Toss in some protein and fiber rich chickpeas and you have a delicious meatless one-dish meal. Leftovers make a perfect lunch too.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces, weight Dreamfield’s Penne Pasta
- 1 cup Canned Chick Peas, Drained And Rinsed
- 2 cups Grape Tomatoes, Quartered
- 1 cup English Cucumber, Chopped
- ½ cups Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- ¼ cups Kalamata Olives, Pitted And Quartered
- ½ cups Crumbled Feta Cheese
- 1 clove Minced Garlic
- 4 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Oregano, Chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the penne for 10 minutes or according to your package instructions. Drain pasta and allow it to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, add the cooked and drained pasta, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, olives and cheese. Toss to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, herbs and olive oil. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad. Toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
