I love veggies + green bowls! (I say “bowl” rather than “salad” often because salads get a bad rap for being boring + unsatisfactory and that is definitely not what my bowls are about.) I especially love making cold pasta salads in the summer because:
- The bean based pasta (Banza) gives the salad texture + extra protein
- They are refreshing but also keep you satisfied
- You can literally use whatever veggies you have on hand in the fridge (and I mean it!)
This pasta salad is perfect for a main dish or side dish and I promise there won’t be any left if you bring it to your next BBQ!
Veggie Pesto Orzo Salad
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Little Adapts By Jax
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 packet Banza Chickpea Rice
- ½ cucumber, diced
- ½ bell pepper, diced or 4 small sweet bell peppers, sliced
- ¼ red onion, diced
- ½ head of broccoli, diced into tiny florets
- 2 cups of raw spinach
- ¼ cup of vegan pesto/vegan basil dressing/avocado pesto dressing
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook Banza rice (which looks like orzo) on the stove according to the package.
- Dice all veggies and throw into a large bowl with spinach.
- If making the avocado pesto dressing, do that now and let it chill in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Once the rice has been drained + rinsed, throw into the bowl with veggies + spinach.
- Add pesto dressing + black pepper to the bowl and stir until well combined.
- Serve cold and enjoy!
Notes
*If having as a main dish, add nuts and seeds for healthy fat and protein.
**The serving size of 4-6 is based on having the salad as a side dish.
**The serving size of 4-6 is based on having the salad as a side dish.
Happy summer eating!
With Health + Happiness Always,
Jax
PS – Want to learn how to build a healthy + happy lifestyle using the pillars of the “little adapts” philosophy? Sign up for my 6 week nutrition 101 group program launching on Monday, August 10th!
