Sunday, February 6, 2011

Colorful Pasta Salad


This salad is easy to make, tastes great and makes enough for two nights (that is if the kids aren’t eating it...but, don’t rule that out...two out of three of my children love it!). It is light, refreshing and full of flavor! Raw vegetables are full of food digesting enzymes. All the veggies in this recipe are raw...and yes, so is the sweet potato. Now listen, do not be afraid of raw sweet potato...it is sweet and delicious and when grated, it looks JUST like carrots! So, if your husband or kids raise an eyebrow, just tell one tiny little fib, “Oh those? Oh, those are grated carrots. You love carrots!” and they will be none the wiser!

Dressing:
1/2 c. mayo (yes, that’s a lot of mayo...but, relax, you’ll be eating a ton of veggies because of it! It all balances out!)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbl of soy sauce
1 Tbl lemon juice
2 Tbl apple cider vinegar
1-2 Tbl dried or fresh dill, to taste (we like a lot of it!)

Ingredients:
1 lb. pasta noodles (spirals, penne or bow-tie work best)
15 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1-2 carrots, GRATED
1/2 sweet potato, RAW, PEELED & GRATED (you must grate this...I know, I hate grating, too...but, you must grate this to get the right texture)
1 c. frozen shelled edamame (just throw them in frozen...by the time you eat the salad, they will have defrosted...could it be any easier!?)
1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped

Cook pasta according to directions on the box.
Make the dressing first in the bowl you intend to make the salad in...it saves time and makes for easier clean up. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together till smooth.
Now it is time to start chopping and grating...put all the veggies in the bowl with the dressing. Mix well.
Add the cooked and slightly cooled pasta to the veggies/dressing mixture. Mix well.
Let this salad cool in the refrigerator for at least two hours....the longer it has to marinate the better. We actually enjoy this better the next day!
*I serve this salad with a yummy crusty bread like ciabatta.

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