Background: I found this recipe in the coupons from my newspaper. I made it last week and this week and it is so glorious with some leftover baked chicken for lunch!
Originally from: Marzetti Dressing Coupon Recipe
Serves ~ 4-8 (depends on whether this is a side or part of a lunch)
Approximate time, from prep to table: ~25 minutes (pasta has to cook)
Ingredients:
8 oz rotini pasta (Barilla Whole Grain is awesome)
1/2 - 3/4 Cup Ranch or Italian dressing (I prefer non-dairy Italian)
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese (non-dairy substitute works well)
Choose from among these vegetables:
1 Cup broccoli florets
1 small can (6-8 oz) artichoke hearts, quartered (look for glass containers in the canned veggies section)
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise then sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 Cup frozen peas, thawed
1 Cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 Cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 Cup carrots, quartered lengthwise then sliced
1/4 Cup pitted and halved kalamata olives (I get mine from the "olive bar" at Meijer)
small can chickpeas
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into florets and put into strainer. Prep the rest of the veggies above and toss into a large bowl. Drain cooked pasta over broccoli (this will bring out the nice green color). Run cool water over the pasta and broccoli and drain well. Pour the drained pasta and broccoli into the large bowl. Add Parmesan cheese and dressing. Toss gently to coat. Serve or store covered in fridge until serving time.
Note/Tips: This has kept well in my fridge for 4 days. It tastes yummy and you just feel good after eating it--it is such pure, vegetable goodness! You could probably substitute olive oil and red wine vinegar for the Italian dressing if you wanted to. Experiment with which combination you like best!
