Back at the Ranch [Lighter] Pasta Shalad

A quick, unconventional post...

All-Hail-Isa!  I knew she had one dressing recipe that involved silken tofu and with crossed fingers I tried to find it and jumped with joy when I saw that I had 99% of the ingredients already!  Only thing I didn't have was vegannaise, but honestly it didn't need it.  Next time I'm going to add parsley and basil and make it even more ranch-like.  Yum.

I didn't want to just dump this dressing on greens... though I could have... So I created a really light pasta salad with peas, greens, roasted radishes and sweet peppers.  Total score!

BACK AT THE RANCH 

[LIGHTER] PASTA SHALAD

"SANCTUARY DRESSING" (aka Ranch Mach I)

modified from All-Hail-Isa's recipe: 

http://books.google.com/books?id=2bB_cc54DQYC&lpg=PP1&dq=appetite%20for%20reduction&pg=PT38#v=onepage&q=sanctuary%20dressing&f=false

I don't know if that link above will work... if you click on the picture it should enlarge on a new tab or new window and show you the ingredients better.  The link is to google books, which you can use to search for Isa's book and then within that search for 'sanctuary dressing'.

You'd process the tofu with water first:

...you'd add the mayo here too but I didn't have any so rather than sub, I just didn't use it.  Remember, I only made half of the recipe too.  For what that's worth...

Then just add the rest of the ingredients and process again til smooth!  Totally easy and delicious.

For the rest of it, I cooked 2.25 oz of pasta (what was left in the box).  When that was done I drained it and added the frozen peas (1 cup total) and stirred, using the heat in the pot to thaw the peas.

I also roasted 1/4 cup of sliced peppers and 1/2 cup of sliced radishes from the Lake Ella Market :-) .  Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes at 400F.

I layered as follows (per serving):

1 cup greens

1.125 oz of cooked whole wheat corkscrew pasta mixed with 1/2 peas

2 heaping tablespoons of dressing
half of the roasted veggies

Then I mixed it.  It looked ridiculously heavy and fattening but with silken tofu? What a secret weapon!


Incredible, edible dinner.  It could have benefited from a pinch of salt on top, but no need to add more salt if you don't want to.  It was Captain Hindsight making his appearance.


Deliner Dicious nonetheless

Yum!!!