Try this flavor-packed pasta salad this summer for a satisfying chilled lunch poolside, on the beach or any BBQ. Replace traditional semolina pasta with quinoa pasta removes gluten. Increasing ratio of fresh vegetables – peppers, tomatoes, red onions and olives – to pasta amplifies vitamins and minerals while lowering carbs. Diced chicken and a little sheep milk feta provide a comprehensive protein boost and further reduce carbs in each serving. Serve over spinach or kale for added greens.
INGREDIENTS
1 Package gluten free quinoa farfalle pasta – try Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta
3 Roma tomatoes
1 Green pepper
1 Red pepper
1 Yellow pepper
20 Kalamata olives
2 oz Sheep’s milk feta cheese
1 Package of fresh oregano
3 Tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar
2 Table spoons of olive oil
1 Egg yolk
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
2 Large Chicken breasts
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta per package instructions and set aside to cool. Dice peppers into ¼ inch dice and place into a large bowl. Dice tomatoes and add to the bowl along with finely diced chili pepper (seeds removed). Remove the pits from the olives and dice the feta into ¼ inch cubes. To make the dressing place the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt pepper and egg yolk into a mixing bowl. Use a hand held stick blender to amalgamate the dressing. Grill the chicken breast and cut them into bite size chunks. Add chicken to other ingredients. Dress the salad and allow to sit for about 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to fully develop.
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN OPTION: Vegetarians/Vegans can replace chicken with garbanzo beans. Vegans can remove the sheep milk feta entirely.
| Calories | Carbs | Fat | Protein | Sugar | Sodium | |
| Easy Pasta Salad (Gluten Free) | 272 | 29 | 10 | 17 | 2 | 393 |
| Traditional Pasta Salad | 370 | 34 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 450 |
