ORZO SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS AND SPINACH

Orzo salad with asparagus and spinach – a quick and healthy pasta salad full of vegetables and flavor.  In less than 20 minutes dinner is on the table.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 1 veggie bouillon cube
• 12 oz bunch of asparagus
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach – roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces
• 12 kalamata olives – chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion – finely minced
• 2 oz feta cheese – diced
• Dressing
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 8 twists of black pepper from a pepper mill
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. As you bring a large pot of water to a boil, prep all your ingredients.  Snap off tough ends of the asparagus and cut into bites sized pieces.  Roughly chop spinach, chop up the olives, mince the red onion and dice the feta cheese.
2. Once the water comes to a boil, add orzo and bouillon cube.  Cook orzo for the amount of time on the package.
3. You are going to be cooking the orzo and asparagus together in the same pot.  Add the asparagus to the orzo when there are 4 minutes of cooking time left before the orzo is done.
4. 
   
5. Add hopped spinach, walnuts, kalamata olives and minced red onion to a large bowl.
6. Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss half the dressing over the spinach mixture and stir to combine.  Set the remaining dressing aside.
7. When the orzo and asparagus are ready, drain and add directly to the spinach mixture in the bowl. 
8. Add the remaining dressing to the orzo, asparagus and spinach mixture.
9. Stir everything together for a minute or two until the spinach wilts.
10. Add feta and gently stir to combine.
11. Serves 2 as a main meal and 4 as a side dish.