Pasta Salad - Phase 3

Make this up Thursday night for your lunch on Friday! Full of veggies, and using chick pea pasta or black bean pasta takes care of the protein and a yummy Italian dressing is your healthy fat! 

Perfect for the backyard BBQ or the family picnic in the park!! So easy and quick to make!

Change up the veggies to what you prefer.

Bonus! The dressing makes more than what you need so either double the pasta and veggies, or save the left over dressing for a salad later in the weekend!

Pasta Salad
Phase 3
Makes 4 standard servings


For the dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp xylitol or a pinch of stevia
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:
2 cups cooked black bean or chick pea or lentil pasta
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (quarter if they are big)
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3-4 radishes, chopped
1 English cucumber, quartered long ways, then thinly sliced
1/2 cup olives, chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)

Put the dressing ingredients into a Mason jar, screw on the lid tightly and give it a good shake. You can also whisk in a medium bowl. Add the nutritional yeast if you are using to the dressing ingredients.

Pour half the dressing into a large bowl. Add the red onion, stir and set aside while you chop the rest of the veggies. This will help pickle the onion and keep them from being overpowering in the salad.

Cook the pasta, and when it is drained, dunk the strainer into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and to quickly cool the pasta. Do not add the dressing to a warm pasta.

Chop the veggies you are using. Add them all to the bowl. Add your drained pasta and gently stir. Season with salt and pepper and the fresh parsley.