Whole wheat pasta includes the bran, germ and endosperm of the wheat kernel which means it contains more natural fibre and micronutrients than traditional white pasta, as nothing is removed during processing. This makes it more filling as a meal whilst also helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Here I’ve created a quick and fresh pasta salad that tastes amazing and takes minutes to prepare.
Organic Wholewheat Pasta Salad
I begin by bringing a saucepan of water to the boil and pouring in the dried organic wholewheat pasta. I turn it to a medium heat and allow it to cook for fifteen minutes as I prepare the salad. My twist on this pasta salad is to prepare a vegetarian friendly dish without sauce or seasoning and using both raw and cooked ingredients with seeds for a range of taste, texture and flavour.
To a frying pan I slice a few sweet cherry tomatoes, half a yellow pepper, a stick of celery, an inch of root ginger and a handful of mangetout. I drizzle a splash of extra virgin olive oil and cook on a medium high heat for just a couple of minutes to ensure the vegetables remain al dente and retain their nutrients and vitamins. Alternatively you could serve this raw, however I enjoy mixing hot and cold.
Once the pasta has changed from a medium to light brown I strain off the remaining water and plate it up on a bed of mixed baby salad leaves. I then spoon on the flash fried vegetables and top with pumpkin seeds, with it on the table and ready to eat in just quarter of an hour from start to finish. The cold salad works beautifully with the tender wholewheat pasta, juicy vegetables and crunchy pumpkin seeds. Because I haven’t used seasoning or sauces, only a splash of extra virgin olive oil, every mouthful is packed with flavour. The mangetout works as a warmed alternative to the salad, whilst the cherry tomatoes and yellow pepper are succulent and sweet. Wholewheat pasta is just as palatable as white in my opinion, if not tastier and has such greater health benefits so it’s certainly worth making the switch. And what better way to do it than with this gloriously healthy dish.
