Pasta salad without the calories: Asian inspired

Low-calorie Pasta Salad can be nutritious and delicious!
This recipe ditches mayo for vinegar and oil.  The recipe uses mild rice vinegar, therefore it does not leave your palate overly "greasy" as with mayo, or "thirsty" as with other vinegars.

Recipe

1.  Boil the salad's main ingredients al dente.  (I boil them together.)  Drain and set aside in a bowl.

1.5 c Barilla Piccolini Pasta - High fiber white pasta
1 c Fine sliced carrots - Julienned, and sliced down to bite size
1 c Pre-cooked, frozen Edamame beans -Try Seapoint Farms

2.  Add fresh herbs to the salad.


2 stalks thinly sliced Scallions, also known as green onions or spring onions

 Photo by TheRoamingKitchen

 1 bunch minced Cilantro, known as "Mexican parsley" in some regions of the U.S.

Photo by GlobalHealingCenter

3. Add sauce ingredients.  Stir well.   Done!

1 tbsp Sesame oil or olive oil - Like Eden Organic

 

2 tbsp rice vinegar - Like Mitsukan

 

1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp powdered ginger (Grate fresh ginger root1/2 tsp if you have it on hand)
1/8 tsp lemon grass spice - Or buy fresh at Produce Junction - A tropical grass with lemon flavor, true to its name.  Substitute with grated lemon peel.

1/8 tsp white pepper spice. White pepper has a "smoky" flavor compared to Black pepper.  It is not sweet like red pepper nor tart like black pepper.  You can substitute with either of those, just be aware that the taste will change accordingly and you might need to counterbalance.