Jan 7, 2017

Quick & Easy Pasta Salad

I love pasta. It's probably the one food that I indulge in the most. So it is super important to me that I use a healthier alternative to regular pasta like spelt pasta. Spelt is.an ancient grain that is full of nutrients and health benefits food. It contains a broad spectrum of nutrients, including complex carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more. Spelt is high in vitamin B2, niacin, manganese, thiamin, copper, and magnesium. Because spelt is highly water soluble, these nutrients are easily absorbed by the body. In addition to being loaded with essential nutrients, Spelt is a good source of dietary fiber, which has been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol levels. And it tastes great, too!I always have a box or two on hand at all times. I use the Natures Legacy brand. It tastes exactly like regular pasta but it is made using spelt flour and water. It can be a bit pricier than regular pasta. I usually find it for about $4.29 a box....I know that's expensive but food is my top priority so I've become accustomed to paying more for certain things. If you cannot find it at your local store you can also try ordering it in bulk online here.

Okay now on to the recipe. So this recipe is ridiculously easy. It's just a few ingredients but when I tell you the come together perfectly......I really mean it

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Makes about 4 servings

The ingredients

1/2 box of rotini pasta cooked and drained
1 cups of mixed pitted olives plus about 2 tbs of the brine
2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes diced
2 cups of broccoli (or whatever veggies you have on hand)
1 small handful of chopped fresh parsley
1 small handful of chopped fresh dill
1 small handful of chopped fresh basil
4 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
juice of half a lemon
3-4 tb of nutritional yeast (I'm one of those crazy nutritional yeast fiends so use as much or as little as you want)
salt and pepper to taste