Twas the night before Christmas and all through the blog, the readers were searching recipes for eggnog.
The ingredients were placed in the pantry with care, in hopes an Amazon delivery soon would be there.
Cookies and cakes were all snug in the freezer, the fruit on top only a teaser.
With ideas bouncing around my brain with a zap, it was time to head back to the kitchen with a clap.
So here I have a recipe that will be quite the sight, on your table Christmas, New Year, or any other night.
Sorry, that’s all I have. Poetry is not my preferred form of writing.
That recipe happens to be a festive salad that is perfect for a last minute Christmas recipe, New Year’s Eve or Day or anything in between. It’s easy to make, serves a crowd, and can be enjoyed warm, room temperature, or cold.
A simple pasta salad gets a serious upgrade with chickpeas, fresh cranberries, lots of cheese, and a tangy dressing that will have everyone coming back for more.
I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!
Cranberry Chickpea Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 8 ounces orzo pasta
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 8 ounces cooked chickpeas
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups sharp white cheddar cheese, broken into rough chunks
Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- Zest of one orange
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the orzo and cook 5 minutes short of package instructions. At this time add the cranberries to the boiling water. After 3 more minutes, add the chickpeas. Once everything is cooked, drain and return to the pot. Stir in the spinach.
- In a medium bowl, make the dressing. Whisk together the juice, zest, pepper, salt, mustard, coriander, turmeric, and mustard. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking.
- Pour dressing into the pot and stir to combine. Finally stir in the cheese and serve. Salad may also be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours or placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Oh my, this is just a perfect pasta salad!! I can’t wait to try it. Love, love all the ingredients and most pasta salads do nothing for me. This is going to be a favorite for sure…..