Fresh Herb Garden Pasta Salad

This is a salad I start making almost every summer about this time. The fresh herbs and produce you can find at the farmer's market is a part the inspiration- not to mention an easy dish to pass at a gathering, pack up for a picnic, and serve from the fridge when it's super hot and sweaty.

It's not overly difficult and you can switch out different veggies for what you got available. It is a great "detox" summer meal because of the fresh herbs and veggies and with the GF pasta it is a great allergy-free option as well. Also, it can easily be vegan- but if you want to add some parmesean or motzarella cheese it would be that much more fabulous too. I have also added organic chicken sausages and those not only had flavor but added protein too. So it can be made a few ways, but if you make it the fresh herbs in the dressing is what makes the difference in my opinion. The dressing is super fresh, green and wonderful!

Hope you give this super easy and fabulous summer salad a try!
Much love and light to you xoxo

Fresh Herb Garden Pasta Salad Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, nut, seed and sugar-free}

1 cup of cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup of chopped sweet bell peppers
1 cup of sliced and quartered cucumbers
1/2 cup of thinly sliced and cubed radishes
1/4-1/3 cup of thinkly sliced and chunked red onion

1 12 ounce package of GF pasta (my favs include brown rice, or a rice and quinoa mix option. I avoid the GF pastas with corn because of digestion issues and they get too mushyin my opinion)

Herb Pesto Dressing Recipe
1 cup of fresh parsley
1 cup of fresh cilantro
(if you got other fresh herbs growing I sometimes add a handful of fresh basil, chives, oregano or thyme too...)
1/3 cup of quality California olive oil
1/3 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
lemon zest from squeezed lemon
1-2 ts. of dried italian herb blend
1 ts. of dried garlic
pinch of dried onion
big pinch sea salt and black pepper
optional: add in a drizzle of honey or maple syrup before blending

Blend all of the above in a high powered blender to emosify and be a creamy green dressing. I sometimes double or triple this recipe above and make it available in the fridge to marinate meat, pour over salads and just have available to flavor rice, quinoa, or whatever other summer salad you got going. It's an added treat to just about anything savory!

Cook your GF pasta in boiling water and drain when it is AL DENTE! Then rise with a little cool water and pour into a large bowl with all the added veggies (and sausage if you are adding that) and then mix well together with the dressing and viola you got yourself a salad! If you are adding any cheeses or extra chopped herbs do that after it is all mixed well. Serve warm, or chilled, or however you damn please ;)

Hope you are well and enjoying the season of summer! Much love xoxo