Nutrition Facts

Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole-grain fusilli or rotini
- 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 6 ounces snow peas, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (lowest sodium available)
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 medium green onions, sliced
- 1 1/2 medium avocados, halved, pitted, and diced
Directions
- Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt.
- Two minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the asparagus and snow peas to the boiling water. Transfer the cooked pasta mixture to a colander. Run cold water over the pasta and vegetables to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and honey. Stir in the carrots, bell pepper, green onions, and pasta mixture.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to chill. If serving immediately, gently stir in the avocado. If chilling, gently stir in the avocado just before serving.
Cooking Tip: Swap out your favorite vegetables or try new ones to give this recipe a different twist each time you make it.
Keep it Healthy: Not all pasta salads use mayo for dressing. This recipe calls for sesame oil and balsamic vinegar, but you also can use another nontropical oil, such as olive, and a different vinegar, such as red wine. Use the healthy options you have available in your pantry.
Tip: To save money, buy a bag of carrots and use a box grater to shred them. To save time, buy packaged pre-shredded carrots.