Pasta Salad with Fresh Dill

This is the IDEAL summer picnic or potluck recipe - it makes a ton of food, and there's no mayo in it - so less chance of spoilage as it heats up outside! I was looking for a great way to use fresh dill, as our herb garden has been producing TONS of fresh dill, sweet basil, purple basil, mint, and cilantro. (That's not a complaint, mind you - I'm loving the access to fresh herbs!) Anyway, I was inspired by this recipe from the Minimalist Baker to make a pasta salad. I made a few tweaks to suit my tastes and to utilize the ingredients I had on hand. Let me tell you - the dressing is divine!


Ingredients:


Pasta salad:




  • 1 16 oz. box of pasta - I used 365 brand whole wheat shells from Whole Foods

  • 1 organic red bell pepper, diced

  • 1 medium red onion, diced

  • 3 stalks celery, chopped

  • 1 can of organic green peas

  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped fine


Dressing:




  • 1 aseptic package of firm silken tofu

  • 3-4 tablespoons of agave nectar or cane sugar (or a combination of the two)

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1.5-2 tablespoons spicy mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper


(*Note: I did not measure the dressing ingredients precisely. These are estimates - I tend to mix the dressing, taste, tweak, and repeat! Adjust to your liking.)


Preparation:




  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

  2. While the pasta is cooking, chop the veggies and put them + the dill in a large glass or stainless steel bowl.

  3. Put all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined. (Taste and adjust, if needed!)

  4. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.

  5. Add the pasta to the veggies in the bowl, and add dressing.

  6. Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined.

  7. Enjoy! This is tasty at room temperature, but it gets even better once it is chilled and the flavors meld.

Popular posts from this blog

Sage and Pepper Gravy Mix

Image
I always have this mix in my pantry because it makes gravy making SO EASY! It's also gluten free, if that matters to you. I love my gluten - and my favorite way to enjoy gravy is on the Minimalist Baker's Best Damn Vegan Biscuits . Ingredients: 1 cup brown rice flour 1/4 cup nutritional yeast powder 4 teaspoons ground sage 2 teaspoons salt 1-2 teaspoons ground black pepper (depending on how much pepper you like) Preparation: Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Store in your pantry in an airtight container. (I use Mason jars.) When you're ready to enjoy: mix 1/4 cup gravy mix with 2 cups of unsweetened plant-based milk. Make sure the milk is unsweetened or you will end up with a sweet gravy, and that's no good. (Yes, I made that mistake once.) Heat over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until the gravy reaches your desired thickness. Notes: Be sure to use nutritional yeast powder instead of flakes - this wa
Read more

Easy Lemon Garlic Dressing

Image
This is a super easy and DELICIOUS dressing - I almost always have some of it on hand in the fridge. But even if you're making it on the spot, you can pull it together in about five minutes. Easy peasy! (My favorite way to enjoy it? Massage kale with it, add some nuts and dried fruit, and voila! An amazing lunch or dinner salad.) Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 2 cloves minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon maple syrup Preparation: Put all ingredients in a small jar and SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE. Enjoy!
Read more

Soy Yogurt in the Instant Pot

Image
It is SO EASY to make soy yogurt in the Instant Pot - you need just two ingredients and some time. Be careful with the soy milk that you use, though. The only ingredients should be soybeans and water. Any additives/preservatives may throw off your end product. I typically use Westsoy original unsweetened or EdenSoy unsweetened soy milk. Also, keep in mind this may be a little thinner than some commercial yogurts, as it doesn't have any thickeners. Ingredients: 1 32 oz. box of unsweetened soy milk 1 Jarrow Formulas Jarro-Dophilus probiotic capsule Preparation: Open the package of soy milk. Pull or cut open the probiotic capsule and pour its contents into the soy milk carton. Cap the carton and SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE. Pour the soy milk into four small (8 oz.) jars. Place the jars inside the Instant Pot pot - no water, no rack - just put them on the bottom of the pot. Put the lid on the IP and close the vent. Set the Instant Pot to the yogurt setting for 13 - 15 hours.
Read more