Healthy Mediterranean Pasta Salad
This Healthy Mediterranean Pasta Salad is filled with veggies, beans and is high in Omega-3s thanks to a flax oil dressing that pulls it all together.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups fusilli pasta {I used gluten free brown rice pasta}
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 grape tomatoes
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- ⅓ cup chopped jarred roasted red pepper or fresh red bell pepper
- 1 can chickpeas drained
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
For Dressing
- ¼ cup Barlean's Flax Oil
- Juice from ½ a lemon {or about 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar}
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ¼ teaspoon dried mint
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add fusilli or desired pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and zucchini and saute, stirring every couple of minutes until zucchini is softened and tomatoes are blistering.
- Mix in chopped red pepper and chickpeas and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic. Cook for about a minute.
- Stir in spinach and cook for a minute or two until just beginning to wilt, then remove pan from heat.
- When pasta is ready, drain completely and add to the vegetable mixture. Fold together gently until fully combined. Let it cool for about 15-20 minutes.
- Make Dressing: Whisk together flax oil, lemon juice, herbs and salt until opaque and emulsified.
- Pour dressing over the cooled pasta mixture and add crumbled feta cheese; toss gently to coat.
- This can be eaten immediately, or refrigerated and served cold as pasta salad.