Vegetable Pasta Salad
By Deirdre Imus, The Imus Ranch Cooking for Kids and Cowboys
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.
I recommend using all organic non GMO ingredients.
Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients: Kid's
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
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Kid's Recipe |
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 |
Cooking Time: 18 minutes
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
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
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.
1/3 Cup balsamic vinegar
1 Teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 Egg or 2 tablespoons egg substitute
½ Cup sunflower or safflower oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
½ Cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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.
Reprinted with permission from the National Bestseller, The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys by Deirdre Imus. Published by Rodale, Inc.
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