Light and Easy Farfalle Salad

Do you like sun-dried tomatoes?  I love them.  There is something deliciously tart about them.  I would eat them with everything if I could.

I recently discovered a whole line of sun-dried tomato products.  California Sun Dry makes all these different spreads and things with sun-dried tomatoes.  I think my favorite is the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.  I mean, how can you go wrong with both garlic and sun-dried tomatoes?  (Hint – you can’t)

This is a nice, light pasta salad, created in my mom’s kitchen and eaten for lunch the next day.  It’s simple and delicious, and the flavors really speak for themselves.  Perfect to throw together for dinner one night and take the leftovers to work or school for lunch.

Ingredients:

1 box of farfalle pasta  (or really any kind of pasta you want)

3 scallions

2 oz of sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips

6 oz of baby spinach, stems removed, leaves shredded

1/4 cup walnuts

1 tablespoon fresh thyme  

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp California Sun Dry brand chopped garlic with sun dried tomatoes (or you could use plain, minced garlic)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling water and cook until al dente (usually 1-2 minutes less than the recommended amount of time listed on the box).

2.  Combine the oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

3.  Toast the walnuts in a small, dry pan.  It should only take a few minutes.  You know they’re done when there is suddenly a delicious, nutty flavor filling the air.

4.  Shred the spinach, cut the tomatoes into strips, and trim the scallions and slice the white and light green parts thinly.  Toss in a large bowl with the farfalle (when it's done) and thyme.

5.  When you’re ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad, add the walnuts, toss, and serve room temperature.

Enjoy!