Cilantro Avocado Pasta Salad

A few weeks back, Hodgson Mill contacted me about a recipe contest they were having and asked if I would be interested in participating. I haven't really ever done a recipe contest, so I jumped on the opportunity excited about trying something new.

I was so excited when a big box arrived at my doorstep full of a variety of pastas, ranging from Bow Tie to Angel Hair.

What I really love about their pastas was that there wasn't a bunch of added nonsense ingredients, it was all simple and natural!

Another great thing is that the pasta cooks BEAUTIFULLY! I've noticed with many whole wheat pastas that the texture can be somewhat hard and chewy, but this wasn't at all. A great substitute for a non-wheat pasta without sacrificing the taste.

So when decided what to make with the pasta, I thought about one of the most popular recipes on the blog. Many of you may recognize this Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad:

It's such a summery dish full of flavor! Not to mention it has veggies, healthy fats, grains, and protein. What's more to love?! So I decided to take the inspiration from that dish, and transfer it into a pasta salad. Perfect for summer and for BBQ's!

Lemon Cilantro Avocado Pasta Salad

Adapted from: Lemon Quinoa Avocado Salad

Makes: 5-6 cups

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. dry Hodgsen Mill's bowtie pasta

2 c. spinach

1 bunch cilantro

1/4 c. onion finely diced

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 avocados diced

1 can chickpeas (or navy beans) drained and rinsed

1 c. cherry tomatoes cut in half

(For the Dressing:)

Juice of 1 med/lg or 2 small lemons

zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. agave

2 tsp. dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. cumin

dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Fill a pot with water and a sprinkle of salt and bring to a boil. Cook pasta until done, about 7-9 minutes. Once done, drain pasta and set aside and let cool.

2. Using a food processor (or a really good knife), process cilantro and spinach until it becomes chopped, like so:

3. Add greens to a medium bowl and fold in diced garlic and onion. Next fold in tomatoes, avocado, and beans. Toss in cooked pasta, then pour dressing on top and fold into salad until coated.

4. Set in fridge for at least 10-15 minutes to let flavors set.

*I was not paid to review this product. Any and all opinions are personally mine.