Something I’m guilty for is finding a meal I enjoy then choosing that, and that only, for the foreseeable future. So it’s not often that I switch up my lunches. However, the health kick I’d planned to start in January has only kicked in now, 9 months later, so I’ve opted for a healthier, more colourful lunch. I hadn’t planned on sharing the recipe but after seeing how good the array of veg and pasta looked, I had to grab my camera and whip up a post to share.
Ingredients:
The choice of pasta is completely personal preference but I chose wholewheat Fusilli from LIDL.
In terms of veg, again this is all down to your taste. I tossed in 1/4 red and yellow pepper, a handful of diced cherry tomatoes, cucumber and a cup of sweetcorn.
Dressing is super important to prevent the pasta drying out. To keep it simple I used olive oil, salt, pepper and a teaspoon of chilli flakes for a little spice.
How to:
- Cook pasta in a pot of boiling water with added salt or olive oil. Usually for 8-10 minutes but check the pasta packet for directions.
- While the pasta cooks, cut up your veggies of choice and set aside.
- Also prepare dressing in a large bowl by adding a tablespoon of olive oil, pepper, salt and a teaspoon of chilli flakes.
- Drain cooked pasta and allow to cool before adding to dressing bowl.
- Toss in veg and combine until the veg and dressing is evenly distributed.
- Store in fridge.
The best thing about pasta salad is you can switch it up however you please. I distributed the pasta between two bowls and mixed in tuna and mayo with half of the mix to combine a different flavour. It’s all a case of mix and matching with different veggies and flavours until you find a recipe that suits you.
Let me know what you enjoy in a pasta salad or any other healthy lunch recipes I should try.