I'm a huge fan of salads and this one I found on tasteofhome but I did change it a bit

Total prep time 30 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients​

• 2 cups uncooked multigrain bow tie pasta
• 1 can black beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups fresh baby spinach ( large packet)
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium red capsicum, chopped
• 1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, halved
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat Italian or french salad dressing
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted optional

Directions​

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain; transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add beans, vegetables, olives and basil to pasta. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with salt; toss to coat. Sprinkle with walnuts.

NOTE
1. You can add protein to salad eg sliced cook chicken, tuna or even sliced lamb steaks

Nutrition Facts​

2 cups: 318 calories, 13g fat (2g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 661mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 7g fiber), 13g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fat, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat.

Recipe and image sourced from Tasteofhome.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Ahhhh!!! Not a cucumber in sight!

Definitely Mediterranean inspired and I bet hubby loves it!

 

[Penny4]

Dislike chickpeas, so will swap that. I do have a mania for tahini, so will use that for the dressing.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Dislike chickpeas, so will swap that. I do have a mania for tahini, so will use that for the dressing.

I love that you can swap things around in this salad or add whatever you like

 

[Penny4]

I love that you can swap things around in this salad or add whatever you like

Yeah!

 

[Veggiepatch]

Dislike chickpeas, so will swap that. I do have a mania for tahini, so will use that for the dressing.

Call me dumb but what is tahini? Sounds like a tropical island. A cross between Tahiti and a Hawaiian wahine....

 

[Veggiepatch]

Yeah!

Gotta have my favourite veggie. SLICED BUTTON MUSHROOMS!

 

[Suzanne rose]

Call me dumb but what is tahini? Sounds like a tropical island. A cross between Tahiti and a Hawaiian wahine....

Tahini is a middle Eastern sauce made from toasted ground  sesame. It is served by itself (as a  dip) or as a major ingredient in  hummus, baba gahnoush, and falafel

 

[Suzanne rose]

Gotta have my favourite veggie. SLICED BUTTON MUSHROOMS!

Mushrooms would go well in this dish

 

[Penny4]

Call me dumb but what is tahini? Sounds like a tropical island. A cross between Tahiti and a Hawaiian wahine....

Tahini is roasted sesame seeds all ground up until it's creamy and it originates from the middle east.

 

[Penny4]

This one is nice. $5 from Woolworths.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Is there a recipe for homemade tahini?

 

[Penny4]

Is there a recipe for homemade tahini?

Probably if you google it. It has a nutty flavour.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Probably if you google it. It has a nutty flavour.

It's a thing I've got. I like making things from scratch rather than buy packet or stuff in a jar. If it goes pear shaped, there's always next time and I love experimenting.

I just Googled it and the recipes are SO easy. Thanks @Penny4!

 

[Suzanne rose]

It's a thing I've got. I like making things from scratch rather than buy packet or stuff in a jar. If it goes pear shaped, there's always next time and I love experimenting.

I just Googled it and the recipes are SO easy.

I was given this recipe by a Lebonese friend

1/2 cup tahini paste from Coles or woolies
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves pressed or grated
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Put all ingredients except water in a bowl and mix well with a fork .
Slowly add water and mix.
That's it !

Store in a covered container in fridge.

No one makes it completely from scratch , you would need to much sesame and it basically has to be mashed until creamy

 

[Veggiepatch]

I was given this recipe by a Lebonese friend

1/2 cup tahini paste from Coles or woolies
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves pressed or grated
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Put all ingredients except water in a bowl and mix well with a fork .
Slowly add water and mix.
That's it !

Store in a covered container in fridge.

No one makes it completely from scratch , you would need to much sesame and it basically has to be mashed until creamy

I've got a shitload of sesame seeds so i thought I'd use them up. Sounds too labour intensive to me so the jar stuff it is.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I've got a shitload of sesame seeds so i thought I'd use them up. Sounds too labour intensive to me so the jar stuff it is.

It goes with alot of things I make it when I'm making falafel wraps which everyone loves I actually don't like tahini . You either love it or hate it

 

[Penny4]

It goes with alot of things I make it when I'm making falafel wraps which everyone loves I actually don't like tahini . You either love it or hate it

That's true .. love or hate it like coriander is.