This pasta salad is so good that my children liked it on the first try, despite the facts that it didn't look like anything we've ever tried and that it contained olives, which most of them don't like. The Green Smoothie Girl invented this salad to try and duplicate her favorite salad at the Macaroni Grill. It is so, so good. (from 12 Steps to Whole Foods)
Spinach Orzo Ensalata
1 cup uncooked whole-wheat orzo pasta (boil according to package directions and rinse well, then cool. PS--I couldn't find whole wheat Orzo here in Rexburg, so I used white.)
10+ cups spinach (about two 10-oz bags) chopped
1 pkg fresh basil cut in ribbons
2 tomatoes diced small
1 can black olives, sliced
2 oz capers (half a 4 oz jar) drained
1/2 cup raw pine nuts
OPTIONAL: shaved parmesan to taste
Toss all ingredients except optional parmesan. Add dressing to taste, and toss. Top each plate with parmesan if desired. (The Green Smoothie Girl recommends serving this dressing with her Tangy Dill Dressing, which is really good.)
Tangy Dill Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos (I used nama shoyu)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp dried dill weed, or 1/4 cup fresh
Blend all ingredients in a blender.
Thank you. I'll try this one soon. Do you have a good source for getting pinenuts?
ReplyDeleteThey are definitely expensive little things. I got mine at Winco in the bulk section. I have room in my budget for things like this occasionally because we rarely buy meat or dairy.
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