PASTA SALAD WITH APRICOT VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

So finally here I am , updating my blog after a long time. obviously its not that I don't cook, but its just that I take a picture, upload it to my computer and tell myself "I have to post this recipe to my blog". So now I have a good number of recipes that I need to update my blog with.

This salad that I made, was a quick fix Sunday lunch. Surprisingly I had just the right ingredients in my fridge and my pantry. Got them all together and dressed it up with a yummy apricot vinaigrette dressing. It was perfect for a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Here goes the recipe

You will need

• Pasta- 1 cup (You can use any. I used the spiral pasta)
• Spring salad mix- 1 packet
• black beans- 1/2 cup (boiled or tinned)
• beet strings- 1/4th cup (I used tinned beets strings)
• cucumber-1/2 (sliced)
• carrot-1 (thinly sliced)
• walnut- 4-5
• sliced almonds- 2 tbsp
• dried cranberries- 2 tbsp
• For the dressing
• Balsamic vinegar- 1/4 th cup
• olive oil- 2-3 tbsp
• apricot jam- 1 tbsp
• salt and pepper to taste.

You have to

1. Boil the pasta as per the package instructions.
2. In a bowl, empty out the spring salad mix. Add the beet strings, the carrot and the cucumbers. Add the boiled red kidney beans.
3. In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for the dressing. Whisk it all together. Refrigerate it for twenty minutes or so. This helps the flavours to settle in.
4. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss in the walnuts, almonds and cranberries.
5. Serve.

This is more like a meal on its own. With the pasta, the beans the greens and the nuts.Its like having all the nutrition tossed together in one bowl. Enjoy.

Keep a look out for more recipes. Its spring cleaning and I am cleaning my backlogged folders. Yuhooooooo!!!!