Today, please welcome Wendy from MamaBalance.
I’m thrilled to have Wendy back with us today, representing her other blog, Mama Balance! Wendy’s previous post, a California Quinoa Bowl, was a huge hit with RH readers. I think you’ll love today’s recipe just as much! Wendy has a knack for creating healthy, colorful and appealing recipes that are easy to make and taste great. I hope you enjoy today’s offering!
My name is Wendy and some of you might remember me from when I visited with you in January and shared my California Quinoa Bowl. I am thrilled to be joining you again today!
I’ve been blogging at Cooking Quinoa for a few years now, and though I love quinoa have been craving a new creative challenge for some time.
Last month I finally stopped stalling and started a new website called MamaBalance.
There I will be sharing all of my kitchen adventures that don’t involve quinoa. In the near future, I’ll also be sharing recipes for a healthy home (would you believe I don’t have a single purchased cleaner on hand?), DIY beauty and adventures from our location independent family of five!
To say that it has been fun to work on something new is an understatement! After years of thinking “What can I do with quinoa?” now my options are limitless.
Today’s recipe is a pasta salad that is perfect for this time of year when the weather is starting to warm, but produce is not quite at its peak.
One recommendation I would make is that, if tomatoes are still really bad where you are, grape or cherry tomatoes are often a better choice. You can easily substitute a cup of cherry tomatoes halved in this recipe.
Greek Pasta Salad with Roasted Chickpeas
For the salad:
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup (120 ml) Kalamata olives, chopped
1 cup (240 ml) canned artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered
For the Dressing:
6 cloves garlic, minced (more or less to taste)
1-1/2 Tbsp (22.5 ml) fresh oregano (or 1-1/2 tsp/7.5 ml dried)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1-1/2 Tbsp (22.5 ml) red wine vinegar (for ACD, use apple cider vinegar)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
For the chickpeas:
1-1/2 cups (360 ml) cooked chickpeas (about 1 can), drained and rinsed
2 tsp (10 ml) Greek seasoning
1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt (if you cook your own beans you may want to add more)
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fresh ground pepper
8 ounces (500 g) gluten free pasta
Preheat oven to 400F (200 C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place chopped onion, tomato, olives and artichoke hearts in a medium bowl. In a small bowl combine garlic, oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Whisk until well combined and toss with onion mixture. Set aside to marinate.
In a large bowl combine chickpeas, Greek seasoning, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss until well combined and place in a single layer on the rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Stir and cook for 10 to 20 minutes longer, until the desired amount of crispness is achieved.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Place pasta in the large bowl that you used to mix the chickpeas and stir in vegetable and dressing mixture. When chickpeas are done cooking, allow them to cool slightly and then add to pasta. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Suitable for: ACD Stage 2 and beyond, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, nut free, vegan.
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Wendy Polisi is the creator of CookingQuinoa.net and MamaBalance. An avid cook from an early age, Wendy enjoys the challenge of creating dishes that are healthy without sacrificing flavor. She is the author of the bestselling Quintessential Quinoa Cookbook and The Gluten Free Quintessential Quinoa Cookbook as well as popular ebooks QuinoaFit, Quinoa Strong and The Holiday Quinoa Cookbook. Though she dedicates a great deal of time to all things food, her greatest accomplishment is being a (homeschooling) mom to three children, ages 9, 7 and 9 months. Wendy is an avid promoter of lifestyle design and her family has been enjoying a location independent lifestyle since 2008.
Connect with Wendy on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
This post has been linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays.
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Hi! I'm Ricki, cookbook author, professional recipe developer, holistic nutritionist and anti-candida crusader. Let me show you how easy it is to eat plant-based, sugar-free, gluten free food that tastes great! 
This looks delicious Wendy! I love pasta salad but always forget about it somehow. You can’t go wrong with artichokes and chickpeas in my opinion. I love the warm artichoke and chickpea salad on this site actually…
Now following Mama Balance 🙂
Thanks so much, Emma! And I agree–I love pasta salad, too–should make it more often! Do you mean the artichoke/chickpea salad on my site? I love that one, too! 🙂
Wow, this sounds amazing, I am definitely saving this one!
Thanks, Sarah! 🙂