Summer Salads: My New Staple

I have had a lot of questions and requests for what this salad is… probably because I constantly post it… because yes, I really am eating it every day.

This salad all starts with Alison Roman’s ” Secret Ingredient Pasta”, that I am now making WEEKLY. It is just that good, and the leftovers mixed with vinegar soaked curly kale are even better. It is bright and tangy, and for those that swear they don’t like sun dried tomatoes please try it anyway. They melt right into the fresh tomatoes.

Let me back up. I have been reading Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome by Will Bulsiewicz MD and it 100% has me leaning plant heavy, especially during the day and only having meat at dinner. (Kind of like Mark Bittman’s VB6)

So, a salad packed with grains and vegetables has naturally become my latest obsession. I sometimes even throw on a scoop of hummus for a little extra fiber and protein… so good!

Back to Alison Roman’s recipe; you have to make that first. I swap in Jovial Brown Rice Fusilli for the pasta and use sriracha for my “spicy something”. (And I skip the cheese!)

Okay, now that you have that made (I like this for dinner one night and then use the leftovers for this salad… or I just make a big pot one morning and then have it EVERY DAY for lunch…) time to make your lunch (or dinner).

In a small bowl add in a few handfuls of curly kale and tear into smaller bits with your hands. Drizzle with a little olive oil, a few glugs of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss once or twice to coat.

Reheat the pasta salad so it is just a little warmed through. Ice cold GF pasta doesn’t always taste awesome.  Add a few large spoonfuls on top of your vinegary kale. Dollop some hummus on too if you like, or a sprinkling of cheese if that’s your jam. Burrata on this would be out of this world! I would even like some avocado mixed in there… or ooh, fresh corn off the cob!

Sit back and enjoy the perfectly balanced lunch, repeat the next day!