Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad (Image Source: Molly Morgan)

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
1 box of Banza rotini pasta*, cooked
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Sea salt and black pepper
¼ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, and dry mustard. Season with sea salt and pepper.

3. Fill a baking sheet with chopped vegetables. Drizzle with ½ of the prepare dressing. Roast the vegetables for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are roasted and tender.

4. In a serving bowl toss together the roasted vegetables and pasta. Then toss in the sliced olives, feta, and reserved dressing. Serve immediately or if desired, chill before serving.

This tastes great made ahead!

*Banza pasta is pasta made from chickpeas, which is a great option because it is rich in protein and fiber. You can substitute other rontini style pasta if desired.

Mango Salad with Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing

This salad is simple to whip together and delicious! It is a perfect accompaniment to a meal or could even be topped with blackened salmon, grilled chicken, or tofu for a main dish.

Mango Salad with Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing
Serves 6

Salad Ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach or leafy greens
1 mango, diced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/4 cup walnuts
1 avocado, diced

Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients:
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. On a serving plate, layer the leafy greens.

2. Top with mango, onion, walnuts, and avocado. Drizzle salad with 4 - 6 tablespoons of the prepared dressing.

Nutrition facts (per serving): 190 calories, 15 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 60 milligrams sodium, 15 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 10 grams sugar, 3 grams protein

Peach Burrata Caprese Salad

Peach Burrata Caprese Salad

Busy days call for simple - yet delicious - dinners! This Peach Burrata Caprese Salad is a perfect side dish for dinner. Plus you don’t even have to turn on the oven.

If you haven’t had burrata before, it’s definitely worth a try! Burrata is cheese that has an outer layer of solid mozzarella and the inside the inside is filled with cream. It has a rich creamy flavor and is perfect with a fresh flavors like peach and tomato - or even a traditional caprese salad. Typically burrata is about 2 - 4 oz in size and will serve 2 - 4 people because it is so rich, a little goes a long way. Look for burrata in the cheese section of your grocery store.

This salad is simple to make, you need: fresh peaches, cherry tomatoes or your other favorite type of tomatoes to slice, burrata, fresh basil, and balsamic glaze. Slice the peaches and tomatoes. On a serving plate arrange the peaches and tomatoes around the plate. Top with torn basil leaves and place the burrata in the center. Then before serving, finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Peach Burrata Caprese Salad

Peach Burrata Caprese Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 fresh peaches
1 cup cherry tomatoes or 1 large tomato
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
1 piece of burrata cheese
balsamic glaze

Directions:

1. Slice peaches and tomatoes. Arrange on serving platter.

2. Top with torn basil leaves. Place burrata in center of serving plate. If you are going to wait to serve this, cover and refrigerate until serving.

3. Immediately before serving, finish with drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Lunch Ideas to Switch it Up!

Tired of the same old lunches? Here are some nutrient-rich ideas and product tips to switch up lunches either for yourself or the little ones in your life! Happy lunch packing!

Crunch + Protein

When you are looking to add something crunchy to a lunch, rethink-it and add-in roasted chickpeas. They come in a wide variety of flavors and some treat-like flavors too (e.g. milk chocolate!). What I love about these - each serving is about 130 calories plus it delivers 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. The fiber is important because it will help to slow down blood sugar level increases, in turn providing better long lasting energy.

Click here to buy some today or check your local stores like Target or Wegmans for them as well!

Click here to buy roasted chickpeas!

Add a Protein Boost

Pack along a milk box to add a boost of 8 grams of protein to lunch! I love these Horizon Organic milk boxes, they are also available in flavored options like chocolate and strawberry, which are perfect for refueling after practices, workouts and games. Plus for an added bonus these milk boxes are shelf-stable and they don’t have to be refrigerated, which makes them really portable and easy to bring along.

Salads for Lunch

If your little ones are tired of sandwiches, switch it up with a salad! They can be really quick and easy to make. Start with a base of leafy greens, then top it with sliced veggies or fruit, sunflower seeds for crunch, and some sliced cheese. Or even add some baked chicken or tofu for a protein boost. Drizzle it with your favorite salad dressing.

Note - also pictured here is a mini yogurt parfait, which are great to pack along with a salad or even with a sandwich. Check out the Back to School Lunch Favorites for more on parfaits - click here.

Warm Up with Soup

Soup can make a great addition to lunches. Plus choosing a vegetable-based soup like Tomato Soup, is a great way to squeeze in extra vegetables. Remember to send the soup warm in a thermos style container so it will still be warm to enjoy at lunch time. Send along the soup with a half of sandwich, salad, or a parfait to complete the meal.

Pictured here is Pacific Foods roasted red pepper & tomato soup, a favorite at our house! Also check out the Pacific Foods new line of bone broth soups.

Roasted Beet + Cauliflower Fall Salad

Fall Salads are the best!

Roasted Beet + Cauliflower Fall Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

2 medium beets beets, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces)*

2 cups cauliflower, chopped into florets

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1/4 cup Biena Snacks Sea Salt Chickpeas

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (shells removed)

Salad dressing of choice

*Short on time? Try Love Beets - all you will have to do is cube them up! They will be ready to go. Look for them in the produce section of the grocery store.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Place the cubed beets on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Wrap up the beets into a packet and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, until the beets are tender.

3. Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and lightly browned.

4. To assemble the salads - divide the lettuce among two serving bowls. Divide the toppings evenly among the salad: roasted beets, roasted cauliflower, roasted chickpeas, and sunflower seeds. Finish with your salad dressing of choice (my go to is balsamic vinaigrette!)!

Panzanella Salad

I absolutely love, love, love panzanella salad! Classically panzanella is a salad of bread and tomatoes although, I like to switch it up and use a base of all different vegetables, like pictured here: cucumbers, red bell peppers, sweet onions. This recipe goes great with Italian meals or even as a stand alone salad. You can serve it topped with grilled marinated chicken or tofu too!

Panzanella Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/2 sweet onion

5 mini cucumbers

1 red bell pepper

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey mustard

1 tablespoon agave nectar

sea salt and black pepper

4 slices of bread or rolls, cut into bite-size cubes

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, cut into thin slices

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Prepare vegetables by chopping into bite-size pieces and place on baking sheet.

3. Whisk together in a small bowl: vinegar, olive oil, mayonnaise, honey mustard, and agave nectar. Then season with sea salt and black pepper.

4. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and drizzle the rest of the dressing over the chopped vegetables. Roast the vegetables for 20 - 25 minutes or until they are tender.

5. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the reserved vinaigrette and then add the cubed bread. Stir throughout cooking and continue to cook until the bread cubes are lightly browned. Then remove from the heat and toss with the Parmesan cheese.

6. After the vegetables are done add the prepared croutons and top with the Parmesan cheese slices.