Italian Veggie Pasta Salad

I love pasta salad!  This one is full of veggies and definitely a complete meal.  It also makes A LOT.  I love making lots of food at one time, partly because it’s just easier and I have no problem eating one thing for a few days, and partly because my boyfriend is an eating machine.  The recipe can easily be cut in half if you don’t need a bucketful.

The sun-dried tomato dressing is the best part, and a little goes a long way.  Those puppies have seriously concentrated flavour.  Tossed together with lots of summer fresh veggies and whole grain pasta, this dish is a wonderfully healthy meal that requires very little ‘cooking’.

Ingredients:

1 package of vegetable kamut rotini

6 crimini mushrooms, quartered

1 red pepper, grilled or roasted, skin peeled off and thinly sliced (or store bought is fine too)

1 zucchini, julienned

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

1/2 cup black kalamata olives, roughly chopped

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

Fresh spinach for serving

Dressing:

10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped (soaking them in water for 20 min helps to blend)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon dried italian herb mix

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper

Method:

Cook rotini according to package.  Rinse under cool water when done and set aside.

Place all dressing ingredients in a food processor and blend till smooth.  You may need to add a bit more water. It is a thicker dressing though.

Ina large bowl, toss the dressing with the cooled rotini until the noodles are well coated.  Add all the veggies and toss some more.

To serve, place a bed of spinach on your plate, spoon out a serving of the pasta salad and garnish with whatever fresh herbs you have on hand.

Enjoy!

~The Vegan Project

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