This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Organic Choice for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Hi Everyone,
Today I am going to share with you progress in my vegetable garden (so excited) and to share with you a wonderful recipe that uses the freshest produce available. So let’s get the garden party started. Today’s recipe is a fabulous Springtime Pasta Salad. Yummy!
This pasta dish is amazing! It’s light, refreshing and chock full of vegetables that are available right now! The pasta is made with spinach tortillini, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and fresh basil and oregano that was freshly picked from my garden. I topped my pasta with simple balsamic dressing, since I didn’t want anything to powerful and honestly I kind of have a thing for balsamic dressing, I can’t get enough of it!
This pasta dish is so easy to make too! I cooked my spinach tortillini pasta according to the directions on the package and when I put my pasta in boiling water, I also added my green beans and zucchini. I did this so the vegetables steamed and you weren’t eating raw vegetables. However I think I would like to eat it raw too! 🙂
Back on March 27th when I posted my recipe for Marinated Garden Vegetables I also shared with you the beginning steps to my garden. Well look what happened in 8 weeks.
Is that so cool? My garden is just getting ready to be harvested. Actually in the morning I will be picking a few peppers and zucchini. I am so excited for the tomatoes. I see lots of little tomatoes showing and a ton of buds. Here is a picture of my pepper plant. I think this is a hot pepper, but I forgot what kind? I just hate when I do that. I lost the little label on the plant.
To make my garden flourish all I used was Organic Choice and Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Orgainic Plant Food. I mended the soil with Organic Choice Garden Soil and added the Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Organic Plant Food into the hole where I planted the plant. Then the only thing you do is add water!
- 2 10 oz pkg. spinach tortellini
- 3 cups, zucchini, diced into bite size pieces
- 2 cups green beans, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tbsp. garlic infused olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- ¼ cup red onion, sliced thin
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground pepper
- 10 basil leaves, sliced thin
- 1½ tbsp. oregano, sliced thin
- Dressing:
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- Cook tortellini according to directions. 4 minutes before the pasta is done, add zucchini and green beans. Cook until pasta is tender. Pour into a bowl, and add 1 tsp. garlic infused olive oil. Let the pasta cool.
- Add cherry tomatoes, onion, salt, pepper, basil leaves and oregano to pasta and mix well.
- To make dressing; in a bowl add balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard and olive oil and whisk until combined. Pour over pasta salad; mix well. Top salad with Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Guys, I am so excited for the garden this year! If you haven’t started your garden yet, you simply must! If you don’t have room for a garden, make a potted vegetable garden. Even if it is just one for herbs. Trust me you won’t regret it. If you need more garden ideas and inspiration you can check out Miracle-Gro Learn And Grow
Well Guys that is it for me today! Now get out there and get your hands dirty!
Have a great day!
Toodles,
Jennifer
P.S. Here is a picture of all of the plants that are in the garden. See the big difference!
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This look great. And also a great idea without the dressing. Maybe just to toss the veggies a bit with olive oil. Perfect. Very nice recipe indeed
Thank you so much! Yes there is so much flavor in it, you really don’t need dressing.
This looks unbelievable! I want to dig right in!
Thank you so much Rachel!