Feb 4, 20201 min read

Delicious Lunch or Side Dish - Penne Feta Salad

This penne salad is great warm, at room temperature, or cold which makes it so very versatile and great for advanced preparation. By adding some bell pepper, chickpeas, cherry or grape tomatoes, kalamata olives and baby arugula, it is a satisfying meal or side dish. For best results, soak fresh chickpeas overnight.

Following are the steps in creating this wonderful salad:

Step 1: Cook one bag of penne pasta and reserve about 1/4 cup of the water

Step 2: Sautee 1 bell pepper cut in to strips with 1 cup of chickpeas and 1 cup of cherry/grape tomatoes

Step 3: After 3 or 4 minutes, add 4 sliced cloves of garlic until lightly browned

Step 4: Add the olives and cooked pasta with about 1/4 cup of liquid from the pasta for 1 minute then remove from heat

Step 5: Add the arugula until it wilts

Season throughout with salt and pepper to your taste

Step 6: Make the dressing in a mason jar:

Grate one lemon

Squeeze half a lemon

Add 1 T Dijon mustard

Add 1 T Maple syrup (REAL maple syrup)