Southwest Pasta Salad

Found this recpie on ourbestbites.com Made this without chicken for a side dish.  It was yummy! Really good dressing. It would be great with chicken for a meal (if only Jack would eat cold pasta).  I added pumpkin seeds becasue I love them.  It might also be good with diced avocado.

Ingredients
1/2 lb bowtie pasta
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (make sure to drain them very well!)
2 roma tomatoes, diced or about 3/4 C or halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions
1/2 C frozen fresh corn
zest from 2 limes
optional: 8 oz diced cooked chicken (this is fantastic)
1/2 C Queso Fresco or Cotija Cheese (or you could sub grated jack, cheddar or pepperjack)

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (optional)

Dressing:
6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes)
1/4 C white wine or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro

Directions

To prepare dressing place Boil pasta in salted water until cooked.  While it’s cooking, prepare dressing.

First zest your limes and place the zest in a large salad bowl.

Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender.  (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil)  Process until smooth.  With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated.  Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact.

When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool.  Place the pasta in the large salad bowl with the lime zest.  Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn),  and chicken if desired.  Toss with dressing.  Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.  For best results, chill for 1 hour before serving.  Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top.  Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.

Makes about 4-6 dinner sized servings or 10-12 side servings

Cashew Chicken Salad

A friend made this for me and I loved it!  The recipe calls for egg noodles, but I like bowtie pasta better.  Since it has chicken you could eat it for dinner with breadsticks.  We ate it tonight and Jack LOVED it. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
4 chicken breast cooked and cubed
1 12 oz pkg egg noodles
1 pkg spinach large bag
¼ cup green onions
1 cup cashews
½ cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup soy sauce
4 TBLS Sugar
½ cup vinegar

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT spinach and onion in a bowl.  Toss with dressing and let it sit in fridge for at least one hour.  Add green onions and spinach just before serving.

Summer Bowtie Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 bag Bowtie pasta, cooked
Two handfuls of grape tomatos
1 can large black olives
1 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
1 can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1/4 cup Kraft zesty italian dressing
1 cup Mayonnaise (can use light mayo too)
1/2 cup Pesto
Pine nuts, toasted

Cook pasta according to package directions, cool. Mix in tomatoes, olives, feta, pine nuts, & artichoke hearts. In a small bowl mix Italian dressing, Mayo, and Pesto. Toss with pasta and serve.

You can add grilled chicken to this to make it more of a meal too.