Summer pasta salad
Hi friends! Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a fantastic start 🙂
We had some cray cray weather over here last night- it went from yellow skies and pouring rain
to a full-up rainbow.
We had a lovely night with family and friends- first at the madre’s house, then over to the dadoo’s and back to the madre’s.
Tucker even wore his red bandana for the occasion 🙂
As with any family gathering, there was a legendary amount of food.
Madre made filet mignon
and lots of salmon– each cut was grilled in a foil packet
and my bro and I were on salad duty.
He chopped up organic veggies
[English cucumber, cherry tomatoes and bell pepper)
to put atop greens
and whisked up a lemon-honey vinaigrette,
while I made my all-time favorite pasta salad
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Ingredients
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My nana also brought an incredible cilantro lime shrimp and a bowl of fresh fruit.
My plate of glory:
+ more pasta and more shrimp
We also dined on the famous cupcakes 😉
Being surrounded by family and friends here in Tucson is pretty much amazing, even thought I definitely miss my Valdosta friends who became our family while we were there. After having to be away from them for so long, it definitely feels like it was worth the wait <3
It’s cardio time over here- see ya later this afternoon!
xoxo
Gina
Want to know if we’re having a boy or a girl? The big reveal is *HERE* 🙂
Something to do:
Make this pasta salad for your next gathering- or just to have to lunch during the week 😀 It’s perfect for summer, and a great combo of protein, carbs and healthy fats. It’s based off an Elie Kreiger pasta salad I used to make all the time, with a few tweaks:
Summer Pasta Salad
Makes 8 servings
-1 package of brown rice pasta, cooked according to package directions (al dente) in salted boiling water; rinse in cold water when it’s finished cooking and lightly coat with olive oil to prevent sticking.
-1 log of goat cheese, crumbled
-2 C of crushed walnuts. If you’re feeling fancy, heat in a skillet on medium low for a couple of minutes to release the aroma of said nuts. It’s an easy flavor booster
-1 bottle of raspberry vinaigrette (I like the Trader Joe’s brand- Annie’s also has an amazing version)
-1 C of spinach, chiffonade cut
-Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and season well with sea salt and pepper. If making this ahead of time –which I recommend because the pasta has more time to soak up all the goodness- prepare the pasta with the walnuts and vinaigrette, but add in the goat cheese and spinach right before serving.
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ooh that pasta salad sounds incredible ill have to try it this week!!
What a yummy looking dinner! Those shrimp look especially good 🙂
That pasta salad sounds amazing!!! And congrats on finding out Gina! You must be so excited!!!
Is there anything better than being surround by family and fabulous food! What a wonderful day!
I’ll say congratulations here! So happy for you. Also might try the pasta salad for my sister’s baby’s blessing in a couple of weeks. Thanks!
I don’t normally like steak, but I love filet mignon! And I have been craving pasta salad for weeks–might just have to put your recipe to good use. 😉
That pasta salad recipe looks amazing! I’m sold on anything with goat cheese.
That salmon looks divine!
And PS… CONGRATULATIONS!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 I bet this little boy will be the best dressed one in town!
The pasta salad sounds delicious! I like easy recipes like that.
We had some crazy storms this weekend too — I liked seeing the rainbows afterward though.
That pasta salad actually sounds yummy. I am slowly exploring into other vinaigrette. Barely fell in love with balsamic earlier this year.
Looks like there were a lot of good eats in su casa. 😀
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! So exciting!
The chopped veggies look so colorful! YummY!
That pasta looks so great!
Now i’m off to check out the deets on the new baby 🙂
Love the goat cheese addition to the pasta salad – that’s right up my alley! 🙂 Going to check out the big news right now!!
It must be so lovely to be close by your family…you obviously appreciate it so much, which is wonderful. My boyfriend is a Kiwi and we have talked a lot about moving to New Zealand in the future, and that is the one thing that really tugs…being so far away from my family. So fun to see you celebrate your amazing news in true foodie style! 😀 xyx
Sunday Night Family Dinners are the BEST! I was lucky enough to get together with part of my family for dinner last night. That pasta salad sounds delicious. It’s super hot here right now so a cool pasta salad sounds perfect.
Ooooohhhh, those steaks look amazing! So nice to get some family time in!
I love pasta salads! I’m sure the goat cheese makes the salad. Lovely spread of eats 🙂
yummy spread!!!…can we have nana’s cilantro lime shrimp recipe pls!!! :))…those shrimpies look like they can go in my tummy right now!!! 😀
1. go to costco.
2. buy cilantro lime shrimp- i think it’s in the deli section by the pasta salad
3. take home and eat 🙂
Now that’s my kind of recipe!
haha! for real
can’t wait to try!!!…exactly my kinda recipe!!! :))
I am on a pasta salad kick right now! They are so perfect for fast summer meals! I can’t wait to try this one! Thanks for sharing!
And congrats on the Little Pilot! 😉
Ahhhhh pasta salad!!! I have a question — you going from vegan to non-vegan and eating goat cheese etc. again, are there specific health benefits of goat cheese that convinced you to eat it again, or just the taste? I’m curious because I eat seafood and otherwise strictly plant foods, and in thinking about eating other animal products, I’d like to hear your point of view. THanks girl!!!!
That pasta salad looks delicious!! I’m going to have to make that soon!! And how nice that you are finally by your family right when you are starting your own. What a blessing!!
Salmon on the grill is the best! It’s one of my summertime favorites.
Do you have the recipe for the honey-lemon dressing your brother made?? It sounds delicious!
i don’t, but neither does he haha. he mixed lemon juice, canola oil. honey, sea salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar and i think that’s it?
Mmmm- there’s nothing like potlucks with all your favorite foods 🙂
That paste dish looks incredible!
oohh! what a unique pasta salad, definitely trying it out!!
let me know what you think 🙂
Thanks for the pasta salad recipe. I’m on a huge brown rice pasta kick right now so I’m going to add this to my list of recipes to try!
That pasta salad sounds awesome! I’m still nervous to try brown rice pasta!
So glad you had such a great time and yes, being back nearby your loved ones is great and sounds like it’s even SWEETER for you because you were away for such a long time. And now they can be with the little nugget. Congrats on the big reveal and finding out. I just read the post 🙂
And those cupcakes…..mmmmm,good! I want more foodie porn pics of those…hah!
Looks gooooood 🙂
My boyfriend has been wanting me to make him filet mignon but I’ve been very intimidated (I don’t eat red meat)
Now I just might have to tackle it 😉
That pasta salad sounds delicious! Really simple too.
Love that pasta salad recipe. You had me at “goat cheese”. 😉
I just started reading your blog and I have to say I absolutely love it! I do have a question, I’ve noticed that you always use goat cheese in your food but never seem to use any other cheese, is goat cheese better for you than cow or sheep cheese? Is it about preference? Or do you simply not eat other cheeses?
hi alexa! welcome to the little blog 🙂 glad you’re enjoying it so far! i have goat cheese instead of cow’s dairy since goats is easier to digest and i prefer the taste 🙂
Oooh I did not know that goat cheese was easier to digest, thanks for the tip! I’ll have to try it sometime soon 🙂
Pasta salad sounds fabulous! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks for the pasta salad idea! I made it last night (I had all the ingredients on hand) with a few modifications. I used trader joe’s organic whole wheat penne instead of brown rice pasta, added a can of TJ’s artichoke hearts and some halved cherry tomatoes, and made up a little balsamic/olive oil/citrus dressing. YUM! so glad i have some left for lunch today 🙂