Clean Eating Recipe of the Week- Garden Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are the perfect dish to accompany or stand alone in hot summer weather. However, most pasta salads drown in greasy thick dressings that make them more like a goopy mess than crisp delight they are supposed to be. Try this version and you will enjoy it's refreshing, clean taste:)


Ingredients:

1/2 cup yellow beans, halved
1/2 cup green beans, halved
2 sweet carrots, peeled and penny sliced
3 cups cooked pasta shape of choice, whole wheat or gluten free
1 small yellow zucchini, cut into thin strips
1 small green zucchini, cut into thin strips
1/2 red pepper, seeded and deveined, cut into thin strips
1/2 orange pepper, seeded and deveined, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, left whole or cut in half
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
1/4 cup purple onion, finely diced
*reserve 3 Tbsp. pasta water for dressing

Dressing:

4 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. avocado, canola or olive oil
3 Tbsp. reserved pasta water
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, pressed through garlic press
Sea Salt to taste


Preparation:

Blanch beans in a large pot of boiling water for 3 minutes or until beans just begin to turn color. Place them in a bowl of ice water immediately. Do the same with the carrots. Drain well and place in a large serving bowl. Use the same water to boil the noodles until they are al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 3 Tbsp. of the liquid for the dressing. Rinse pasta under cold water and drain well. Place pasta in bowl with carrots and beans. Add remaining zucchini, pepper, tomato, herbs, scallion, chives and onion to the bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad. Toss until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Nutritional Value Per Serving:
Calories 137 l Protein 5g l Carbs 21g l Dietary Fiber 4g l Fat 3g l

Courtesy of The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook

Click HERE for a printable version.

Nicole