The summer salad bowl you'll be craving

It's Spring here in Kentucky and with it comes...

All the fun things. Picnics. Easter. Shopping. Flowers. Sunshine. Photo shoots. Sales. Pop ups. Literally all the good things! The other day when the sun was shining ~extra~ bright for me, I starting craving a fresh bowl with pasta. Most pasta salads we typically eat are creamy, carby, and sure to send you straight into a diabetic coma. Not that we don't eat them or love them though! Instead of loading up on all the fat, I decided to take a more fresh approach and add my absolute favorite things. This dish is loaded with good stuff and the most fresh products ever. Y'all know that I'm not big on recipes, so this was totally and uniquely created as I wandered through the grocery store. Just keepin' it real over here. 

First things first

Grab your favorite pasta! I used bow ties for this bowl because I love them, but raditores, macaroni, or tortillini would also be fabulous. 

Thank you, NEXT

The next thing you'll need is some veggies! Your momma always told you to eat them, you never wanted to, but hey, she'll be proud of you for this sweet twist!

I added black beans and corn which is great for a tex-mex type of bowl, but you can choose anything! Great white Northern beans would be yummy with tomatoes and peas and baby carrots would also work well. This bowl is my fave because it is totally and completely customizable! You can add what you love and take out what you don't. Find your faves!

Be sure to also grab lettuce or arugala to add after it's all cooked. 

After that...

You'll start cooking. Boil your pasta for as long as you like ( I usually do mine about 6-8 minutes because I like a firm pasta) and strain it. Don't forget that once you strain it, you'll be throwing it back in the pot, so to avoid overcooking and still get the tenderness you're looking for, under cook it by about two minutes. Be sure to rinse and shake, shake, shake to get rid of the excess water. Cut a lemon in half while you wait to finish straining. After that, toss the pasta into the pot ( I always suggest letting the pasta sit in the heat while stirring to cook off excess water) and add a few dashes of olive oil. Next, squeeze in both halves of the lemon and stir the pasta, lemon, and oil together. Add salt and pepper to taste, throw in your choice of veggies (mine was a mixture of corn and black beans) then stir. Serve in serving dish and add arugala or chopped lettuce and lightly toss. You can also add meat! I added canned chicken to have a heartier meal. I drained the chicken, rinsed it, and sauteed it in a sauce pan for 3 minutes before adding it to the salad. This is a fabulous option for everyone, including vegans and vegatarians!

This type of recipe adds a new dimension to eating what you love without going overboard on carbs and calories. It introduces greens, pasta, and a light flavor, which is my personal fave! The color is stunning and can be so easy to make a pretty dish. Once you add your pasta to a bowl, I suggest adding arugala to the top, the cooked chicken (grilled would be fantastic here, but canned works too) and a sprinkling of pico de gallo. This adds a great pop of spice and extra freshness! 

This bowl is my total fave and perfect for meal prep. This is an excellent meal for a lighter side with fresh flavor! Be sure to tag me @madelinekeeling on Insta when you make it. 

Thanks for reading! See y'all back here soon. 

                XOXO, Madeline

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