What inspired me for this recipe was I was trying to come up with a tasty lunch that my husband could take with him to work. For his job he drives around all day, rarely has a lot of time to stop for lunch, and always eats out. It is difficult for him to make healthy choices since unhealthy food joints are usually the fastest, plus it is getting quite expensive. He never has access to a microwave or any other source of heating his lunch up so it has to be okay chilling in his cooler. We’ve tried doing sandwiches, they tend to get soggy before he gets around to eating,  tried leafy green salads, he got sick of those pretty fast (LOL). This Garden Pasta Salad is one of the newest ones I’ve come up with.

This Garden Pasta Salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, and Bar B-Qs. It is;

Easy

Simple

Light

Lemony

Herby

&

Slightly garlicky

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

If you try this recipe, don’t forget to let me know what you think! Leave a comment below,  on Facebook, or snap a pic of your results and tag #healthconsciouskitchen on Instagram.

Ingredients:

12 oz brown rice or corn fusilli noodles

1 Red Bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 Red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 Cup Grated Carrot

1  pint Grape Tomatoes, halved

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme leaves (or 2 Teaspoons dried Thyme leaves)

1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon ground Black Pepper

2 Tablespoons Pure Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions, rinse with cool water, & drain.

In a large bowl, stir together noodles, bell pepper, onion, shredded carrot, grape tomatoes, garlic, Thyme, salt and pepper.

In a small bowl slowly whisk lemon juice into olive oil, then pour over pasta salad, toss to coat.

Garnish with: Fresh Italian Parsley, Thyme leaves, or Lemon juice if desired.

Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves: 4-6

Enjoy!