Nutty Beans and Greens Pasta Salad

If you tuned in yesterday, you might have briefly seen a Chickpea and Feta Pasta Salad recipe appear (and then disappear).

I had these grandiose plans that the first week after school was out (last Friday), that I would post a “Salad-a-Day” as I began to eat healthier and tote my lunch to work for the summer.  (Alas, as a principal, I still report to work in the summers but it is a shortened day.  And, there are few kids and adults around.)

Then, Memorial Day happened.   Wow, that snuck up on me.  We traveled to Iowa to see Mom, Sis, the BiL, and the two adorable nephews.   My best laid plans were shot.  The scheduled post popped up to feature the chickpea salad without a trial run or a photo.   Oops and sorry.

Although I doubt I post a “Salad-a-Day,” I do plan on posting more salads and more light meals.   I definitely will not post anymore cola-laden brownies.  🙂

To kick off the Summer of Salads (previously known as “A Salad-a-Day”), please direct your attention to the pasta salad recipe below:

Nutty Beans and Greens Pasta Salad

3 c. dried pasta
1 T. olive oil
1 c. green beans, trimmed,  steamed and cooled
1 c. baby arugula
1/2 c. toasted nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
1/4 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and fresh ground pepper

Optional:  1 lb. grilled flank steak, sliced thin

Cook pasta according to directions and rinse under cold water.   Drain well.

Toss together all ingredients and serve.

This is a really light salad.  No dressing (other than the olive oil) is needed with the spicy arugula.   I did add LOTS of ground pepper, though.

I plan on featuring a few salad recipes  inspired from Cooking Light.  I found these super easy and versatile recipes in a copy of the magazine while visiting mom one summer.   Alas, I do not recall what edition or month these were in.

There were nine or ten recipes in the article and all were a variation on the same basic recipe.  All of the recipes call for three cups of pasta (your choice) and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  The rest is up to you.   They also all boast 250 calories per serving unless the optional protein is added.  Then, they are still under 400 calories.  I hope to live on salads in the summer at work and all of these are perfect to eat for dinner one night and then pack up for lunch the next day.

Stay tuned for more Summer of Salads.  (Catchy, huh?) There are lots of variations on this theme.   You never know what will appear (and then disappear) at Eliot’s Eats.   The illusive chickpea salad should be up soon.

Total and irrelevant aside:  Did you know that kiddos can get their driver permit at the tender age of fourteen in Iowa.   Yikes!   I don’t know what I was more shocked at—the eldest nephew getting his permit or that he was 6’1″!

Please “bee” patient as I segue further.   We recently got back in the bee business after losing our hives last winter.  On May 19, we picked up two nucs (nucleus colonies).  Last night we added our second “deeps” (boxes that go on top of the hive body).  “Generally, the rule is that if the bees have drawn out the frames, it is time to put on another deep.”  I’m quoting The Hubs here.   Later, we will hopefully put on a honey super on top of that. The honey supers will allow us to harvest honey.   But, I am getting ahead of myself here.   I don’t want to jinx the bees.

I did, however, want to give them a beautiful home so I have been busy painting boxes.

I did one with a Zen theme and one with a Day of the Dead/Frida Kahlo theme.

I can’t decide which side is my favorite.

Don’t be too impressed.   It is amazing what one can do with Google Images, old-fashioned carbon paper, and acrylic paints.

If you are not familiar with Swamp Cabbage’s “More Booty with Buddha,” the above box is an allusion to that song.  (I really hope no one is offended.)