Asian Pasta Salad

This week I needed to make a salad for our annual ‘Sizzling Summer Salad Social’ at church.  With only a few ingredients on hand, and no time for a grocery store run, I was mulling over the idea of pasta salad with a Greek flare…tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, olives, feta, purple onions and a balsamic dressing.  Then I realized, I didn’t have any olives and, you can’t make a Greek salad without olives…nope, that wouldn’t do.  Hmm, I looked in my produce drawer again and found a red bell pepper, green onions, grated carrots, basil and edamame and that’s when I got the idea for an Asian Pasta Salad.  Loaded with hearty veggies and bathed in a homemade soy ginger dressing it turned out rather tasty, if I do say so myself.  Hope you enjoy making and eating it as much as I did!

Asian Pasta Salad

• 1 lb bowtie pasta
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small bunch green onions, copped
• 1 cup shredded carrots, chopped
• 1 cup edamame
• 5-6 large basil leaves, julienned
• Chow mein noodles (if desired)

Cook pasta according to directions on the package. While pasta is cooking, chop red bell pepper, green onions and shredded carrots.  I buy the bags of carrots already pre-shredded; for this recipe, the pieces were too long so I did a rough chop.  Roll up basil leaves and slice cross-wise.  Put vegetables, basil and edamame to a large mixing bowl.  Strain pasta; run cold water over it for a minute or two to cool it down.  Mix pasta in with vegetables and toss.  Add dressing and combine.  Garnish with more julienned basil leaves and chow mein noodles.

Dressing

• 2/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 5 T agave nectar or 2 T brown sugar
• 1/3 cup light olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in a blender or magic bullet.  If too sour, add more sugar, agave or olive oil.  I like to keep the oil and sugar at a minimum to avoid the extra fat and carbs.  Adjust to your personal likes and taste.