Fruit and Pasta Salad

My husband Loves. The. Beach. If we owned a beach house, I'd probably never see him for most of the year. When we go, we spend the day, so naturally food is an issue. We like to pack picnic type foods, and plenty of them. This one was particularly tasty.

Fruit and Pasta Salad

One package noodles (I used seaside shaped pasta)
2 c. cooked chick'n (I just used one package of Delight Soy Nuggets), cut into bite sized pieces
1 c. sliced celery
1 c. grapes, halved
1/4 c. red onion, chopped
1 11-oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1 8-oz can diced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 c. vegan ranch dressing
1/4 c. vegan mayonnaise
1 t. Beau Monde seasoning

Cook the noodles according to the package, drain and rinse. Mix the pasta in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients and mix well to coat. Cover and chill overnight. Stir again before serving. Enjoy!

Asian Pasta Salad

Have you ever looked at your mom's cookbooks, and kind of laughed at the recipes that are labeled Mexican or Asian, read the ingredients and wondered how they ever came to that conclusion? I have. And living where I do, in a place that has some of the BEST Mexican food in the country, I am almost offended by some of those recipes that suggest they are ethnic but are anything but.

And then there is this recipe. Okay, it is called Asian. It isn't. But the flavors are still divine.

Asian Pasta Salad

8 oz or thereabouts package linguine, broken in half
4-5 green onions, sliced
2-3 carrots, sliced (I used colored carrots - purple, yellow, orange)
12 grape tomatoes, cut in half
One head of broccoli, sliced
1/2 c. vegetable or sesame oil
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 t. hot sauce
2 T. sesame seeds

Cook the linguine according to package directions, rinse with cold water, drain, and add to a large bowl. Add the vegetables. Combine the remaining ingredients in a closed container and shake well to blend. Pour over the salad, toss gently. Serve or refrigerate. Enjoy!

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

My dad told me he doesn't like pasta salad. I told him he has never tried mine. I can make a convert of anyone!

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

One package vegetable spiral pasta
1 c. vegan mayonnaise
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. stevia
1 t. garlic powder
One bunch green onions, sliced
1/4 c. vegan bacon bits
One head of cauliflower, chopped
One bunch broccoli, chopped
One red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. shredded vegan white cheese

Cook pasta per package instructions, drain and let cool. Mix all ingredients in one very large bowl and stir to mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for several hours. Stir again before serving. Serve. Enjoy!

Summer Pasta Salad

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Tofurky has these artisan sausages, and I had to grab a couple of them. I knew what I would do with the first one right away, but the other one stumped me. So I went to the Tofurky website and found the perfect recipe!

Summer Pasta Salad

1 package bow tie pasta
1 package Tofurky Spinach Pesto Sausage, sliced into coins
2 T. olive oil
One red onion, sliced
Handful of fresh spinach leaves
One yellow bell pepper, diced
3 tomatoes, diced
1/3 c. balsamic vinaigrette dressing

 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse and set aside.

Brown the sausage for a few minutes in the olive oil. Remove sausages and drain on a paper towel, set aside. Cook the onion for a few minutes stirring often and brown lightly. Remove pan from heat and add spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts lightly. Transfer onions and spinach to a bowl. Add peppers, tomatoes, vinaigrette and pasta. Add the sausage to the bowl and mix all together. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve. Enjoy!

 

The original recipe can be found here.

I also got the Tofurky Chick'n and Apple Sausage and used it to make Sausage and Sauerkraut. It was fantastic!

 

Spaghetti Salad

For the second year in a row, we've attended the lovely holiday get together at the home of our friend, Kristin. Everyone brings a dish to share and Kristin grills up a feast. It is a relaxed event and the company is always fascinating.

My offering this year was a pasta salad. I'm partial to them for summer get togethers because they are not only easy, but tasty, and most importantly, cool. When the temps hit three digits like they do here, cool is what you want.

Spaghetti Salad

One package spaghetti, broken in half
One bunch of broccoli florets (or one package frozen)
3 T. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/4 of a red onion, chopped

Cook the spaghetti and broccoli together, according to pasta package instructions, drain. Drain the tomatoes on top of the spaghetti and broccoli. In a large bowl, add the drained pasta and veggie and the chopped red onion. Mix together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper and poor over the pasta and vegetables. Mix well and chill. Serve. Enjoy!

National Picnic Month

One of the designations for July is National Picnic Month. Pretty much any month that isn't cold is well suited for a picnic. I mean, do you really need an excuse to go on one?

The hubby took a week off for some vacation down time, and decided we would all go as a family to a water park. He and I had never been to this one, so barring rain, we were going. And what a beautiful day it turned out to be! Despite the delay in getting our food, due to someone (I won't mention any names...) shutting the keys to the car in the trunk and having to have someone come out to unlock the car for us, it was a great day and the food turned out fantastic!

I like to shop the food section at Marshall's because I always find the coolest pasta. I was originally only going to make one pasta salad dish, but the recipe on one of the packages just sounded too good, so I decided to make both.

Walnut Chick'n Salad

1/2 c. fresh spinach, chopped
One container plain soy yogurt
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. dry mustard
3 green onions, chopped
Handful of fresh dill, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 c. cooked vegan chicken, your choice
One apple, cored and diced
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Add some vegan mayonnaise if it is too dry. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon onto your favorite slice of bread and enjoy!

Sesame Pasta Salad

1-1/2 c. vegan mayonnaise
1/3 c. water
3 T. soy sauce
1-1/2 T. fresh ginger, chopped
1 T. dark sesame oil
1 T. white vinegar
One package of pasta, your choice (mine looked like margarita glasses), cooked and cooled
1 c. carrots, chopped
1/2 c. radishes, chopped

Mix everything together in one large bowl and stir well to coat. Refrigerate.

Fishy Pasta Salad

One package of pasta, your choice (this one was shaped like lobsters), cooked and cooled
3/4 c. vegan mayonnaise
1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped
2 T. lemon juice
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. onion powder
1/2 t. Old Bay seasoning
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. hot sauce

Again, mix everything in one large bowl and stir well to coat. Refrigerate.

Fruit Salad with Mint

2 nectarines, pitted and cut into small pieces
3 kiwi, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 navel oranges, peeled and cut into small pieces
One pint of strawberries, hulled and quartered
One pint of blueberries
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
3 T. lime juice
1/4 c. fresh mint leaves, chopped

Mix the brown sugar, lime juice and mint leaves in a food processor until well blended. Add all of the fruit together in one large bowl, pour the sugar sauce over it and mix well. Refrigerate.

Add some iced tea and you've got a great picnic meal!

Patriotic Pasta Salad

Guitars. Drums. Sparklers. Laughter. Beer. My cats hiding under my bed. It must be July 4th.

This year we attended the second annual July 4th celebration at the home of a friend. What a great time we had! Plenty of food and lots of great conversation. I finally got to watch a young woman we know hoop. I tried a whiskey that tasted like cinnamon candy. Got rave reviews on my pasta salad.

Yep, it was a good day.

Patriotic Pasta Salad

One package of pasta (mine was shaped like flags and stars)
1/4 c. white white vinegar
1 T. water
1-1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. stevia
1/2 t. dried tarragon (I had some dried dill I tossed in, too)
1/8 t. black pepper
1/3 c. olive oil
Grape tomatoes, halved
3 carrots, shredded
3/4 c. vegan cheese, cubed

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and rinse. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, water, salt, stevia, tarragon and black pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil while continuing to whisk.

Add the pasta to a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and carrots and pour in the vinegar and oil mixture. Mix well, but gently and chill. Add the cheese and mix in well before serving at room temperature.

Enjoy!

The only vegans at this shindig were my daughter and me. The hostess' mom made a special corn dish for us that was very good. Others brought fruit and vegetable trays, so we had plenty to eat. The non-vegans, who didn't know my pasta salad was vegan, all commented on how much they really liked the pasta. Always what a cook wants to hear!

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything...

or so said William Shakespeare. I guess he was right. There is something about the season of spring that brings with it renewal, and in that sense, a spirit of youth.

Which is probably why I like whimsy sometimes when I cook. Take these two recipes, for example.

Butterfly Pasta Salad

One package bow tie pasta (but I used bunny and egg shaped pasta)
1/3 c. chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c. red bell pepper, chopped
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
3 T. sliced black olives
One can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. pine nuts

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water. Add the remaining ingredients to the pasta, stir to mix it up nicely, cover and chill. Enjoy!

Mini Tarts

2 packages of little graham cracker crusts (or make your own)
One container vegan cream cheese
1/2 c. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1-1/2 c. vegan whipped dessert topping

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the lemonade and mix well. Fold in, gently, the whipped dessert topping. Spoon into little crusts and refrigerate until set. Top with little candy eggs.

Don't fall for the regular non-dairy whipped toppings. They aren't really non-dairy.

Fun foods for your spring holiday celebrations!

A Taste of the Tropics Pasta Salad

What a beautiful day! After a blah winter, spring has arrived and it is welcome! Hubby and I spent the day doing a small amount of gardening and some yard cleanup - anything just to get outside and enjoy the lovely weather! A good way to end it is with a pasta salad studded with mangoes!

A Taste of the Tropics Pasta Salad

8 oz of your choice of twisty pasta
1 green pepper, chopped
2 T. peanut oil
1 T. rice vinegar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
4 green onions, both white and green parts, sliced
1 mango, cut into chunks
8 oz. plum tomatoes
Small handful of chopped cilantro

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Before straining, chop the green pepper and place in the colander. Poor the hot pasta over the green pepper and rinse until pasta is cool.
In a large bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add pasta and remaining ingredients, stirring well to mix. Refrigerate.
Before serving, sprinkle on some dry roasted peanuts.
Think tropical thoughts!

The mango originated in Southeast Asia where it has been grown for over 4,000 years. Over the years mango groves have spread to many parts of the tropical and sub-tropical world, where the climate allows the mango to grow best. Mango trees are evergreens that will grow to 60 feet tall. The mango tree will fruit 4 to 6 years after planting. Mango trees require hot, dry periods to set and produce a good crop. Most of the mangos sold in the United States are imported from Mexico, Haiti, the Caribbean and South America. Today there are over 1,000 different varieties of mangos throughout the world.

Beyond being delicious and rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, mangos contain an enzyme with stomach soothing properties similar to papain found in papayas. These comforting enzymes act as a digestive aid.

Selecting the ripeness of mangos can be determined by either smelling or squeezing. A ripe mango will have a full, fruity aroma emitting from the stem end. Mangos can be considered ready to eat when slightly soft to the touch and yielding to gentle pressure, like a ripe peach. The best flavored fruit have a yellow tinge when ripe; however, color may be red, yellow, green, orange or any combination.

Cutting open a mango is a little tricky, but with practice, quite easy! You can learn how here.

They are a good source of fiber, so be sure to include some on your next grocery shopping trip!