Fiesta Quinoa Salad
Fresh Tomato and Avocado Pasta Salad
Wheat Berry Fruit Salad
How to Toast Nuts:
Cooking Pasta Al Dente:
Al dente refers to the desired texture of cooked pasta in Italian cooking. It literally means “to the tooth”. When the pasta is cooked al dente, there should be a slight resistance in the center when the pasta is chewed.
When cooking pasta, you want to first start out with a large pot. Next fill the pot with plenty of water. You need a lot of water so the noodles have enough room to move around and will not stick together. Next turn the burner on high and allow the water to come to a rolling boil. Once water is boiling add noodles and cook according to package (about 8-10 min). You don’t want to over cook the noodles or they will become mussy.
If you are not going to eat the noodles right away you can run them under cold water and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to them and toss. Then put in a plastic bag and they can last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat as need. This is a great time-saving tip for during the week if you are busy.
