Asparagus Pasta Salad

A summer dish with a Thai twist

By now you’re used to being “that person” who brings weird healthy food to every summer potluck. 

Embrace it, dollface.

But if you’re looking for a new dish that won’t scare a meat-and-potatoes crowd, whip up this vegan and gluten-free casserole with a Thai-inspired twist

What You Need
8 ounces cooked quinoa pasta (or gluten-free pasta of choice)
15-ounce can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 cup fresh green beans, rinsed and chopped
1 cup fresh asparagus, rinsed and chopped
1 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
fresh juice of 1/2 an orange
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon arrowroot or tapioca starch<
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS sesame seeds

How to Make It

Prepare pasta according to package. When thoroughly cooked, place in a colander and rinse with cold water. Place pasta and chickpeas in a large bowl, then set aside.
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan, add green beans and asparagus, and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 10 to 15 minutes before adding to pasta and chickpea mixture.
In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, orange juice, sesame oil, light brown sugar, peanut butter, starch and garlic, whisking consistently over medium-low heat. Continue whisking throughout cooking process, until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes before pouring over pasta mixture, stirring to combine.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, stirring again to fully incorporate. Store in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
Caroline Shannon-Karasik, Resident Gluten-Free Expert
Caroline Shannon-Karasik is the founder of The G-Spot Revolution , a gluten-free, healthy living blog built upon the premise that there is not a one-size-fits-all prescription for total wellness. Whether you call it your personal health “spot”, or ooo-la-la recipe, that serendipitous life balance is yours to define –– and The G-Spot was created to help you do just that. Standing behind her mission to share health information through her writing, Caroline is a freelance writer for several publications, including REDBOOK and Breathe magazines. Follow her on Twitter @TheGSpotRev or read more at www.carolineshannon.com.