Vegetable Pasta Salad
Make this pasta salad in the morning and serve it with fresh whole-grain bread for lunch. Better yet, wait and present as a side dish along with grilled veggie burgers for an informal supper. The flavors blend and intensify with time.
Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 18 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 cups penne pasta
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 4 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup black olives, sliced
- ¼ cup green Spanish olives, sliced
- ½ cup rosemary balsamic dressing (recipe below)
- 3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions and immediately rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain well and set it aside. Steam the broccoli until tender, 5-7 minutes, and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, broccoli, and the remaining ingredients. Toss well to combine and refrigerate until serving.
Makes 6 servings
Rosemary Balsamic Dressing
Use your best quality balsamic in this recipe and even the most ordinary salad will suddenly appear dressed up. The freshest summer herbs are a superb contrast to the rich taste of a well-aged vinegar. This will keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for about four days.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
- 1/3 cup balsmic vinegar
- 1 egg or 2 tablespoons egg substitute
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup sunflower or safflower oil
- ½ cup olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients except the oils in the container of a food processor and process 1-2 minutes. With the motor running, slowly add the oils through the feed tube until the dressing is thickened and well blended. If necessary, thin the dressing with a small amount of water or additional balsamic vinegar.
Makes 1 ½ cups