Ingredients
Scale
- For the salad:
- 2 cups dry/uncooked elbow macaroni (use rice, corn, and/or quinoa pasta if you avoid gluten)
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots (1 to 2 medium)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 ribs celery, sliced or chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 medium, ripe avocado, chopped (optional)
- Sweet Mustard Dressing:
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 ounces raw, unsalted cahsews (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 ounce pitted dates (2 Medjool or 4 Deglet Noor), chopped
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons mustard (I like Dijon or stone ground)
- 1 medium clove garlic
Instructions
- Place all of the dressing ingredients (water, cashews, dates, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic) into a blender, and set aside for at least 15 minutes (so the cashews can soften).
- To make the pasta, cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water, and set aside.
- Place the carrots, bell pepper, celery, red onion, parsley, basil, and avocado (if using) into a large bowl.
- Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth. Stir the dressing and cooked pasta into the bowl of salad ingredients. Serve immediately or after chilling for an hour.
Notes
For a lower-fat dressing, substitute 3/4 to 1 cup of cooked white beans for the cashews. (If you like more dressing, for a creamier salad, make a quarter to one-half more of the dressing.)
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 recipe, 1 cup
- Calories: 134
- Sugar: 6.2g
- Sodium: 73mg
- Fat: 4.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Carbohydrates: 21.1g
- Fiber: 3.0g
- Protein: 4.2g
- Cholesterol: 0