The BEST Broccoli Pasta Salad

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Labor Day is coming up and a great holiday to celebrate with the last of summer food.  I'm going to be bringing you several posts with dishes to celebrate with.  First up is another great pasta salad.  

Everyone needs an easy yet scrumptious side dish and this is absolutely The BEST Broccoli Pasta Salad I've ever had.  It was adapted slightly from a recipe I found on Pinterest from Tiffany's blog Pics and Pastries.  To me this pasta salad screams summer!

THE BEST BROCCOLI PASTA SALAD

Imagine a pasta salad that includes fresh crunchy broccoli, sweet & tart cherries, and doused in a creamy 3 cheese ranch dressing.  Oh yum!  The combination of sweet/tart (cherries) and spicy/savory (bell peppers) just work wonders with the crunch of the broccoli.  The perfect way to use fresh summer vegetables.  I can truly say this is the best broccoli salad around!

So whether you are having a last summer bash for Labor Day, a summer picnic, concert in the park, or a potluck block party, make this dish!  Everyone will be raving it's praises and asking for the recipe.  The BEST Broccoli Pasta Salad is on the menu!

Enjoy!

Note:  Shared with The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck

The BEST Broccoli Pasta Salad

serves 6

6 oz bow-tie pasta
1/2 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 - 1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 head broccoli

1/3 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup Three Cheese Ranch dressing (such as Kroger or Kraft brand)

Kosher salt &  fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large pot of boiling water cook pasta according to box directions.  During the last 4 minutes of cooking add the broccoli head to blanch.  Broccoli should turn bright green.  Remove broccoli and drain pasta.  Allow pasta to cool.

Chop broccoli into florets.  Add to medium bowl.  Add diced bell peppers to the bowl along with the cherries. Add cooled pasta and toss to combine.  Add dressing and toss to coat.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  Serve cold or room temperature.  May add extra dressing if needed.

Low Carb Pancakes & a Product Review (Bob Mills)

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We are always striving to eat healthier and cutting carbs has been part of our regime for several years now.  However, there are just some things that you want to eat (Pancakes & Waffles!) that are full of carbs, so we eat those sparingly but want them in our lives!!!  I can't imagine never eating a pancake!  It's my favorite breakfast treat to get when we travel or go for a quick breakfast.

Well now you can have your pancake and eat it too!!!  I recently came across an ad for Bob Mills Whole Grain Low Carb Baking Mix.  So I started researching it and the more I read the more I knew I wanted to try this.  Having a baking mix to make low carb biscuits, waffles, and pancakes is such a plus.  I hunted it down and found it here.  I patiently awaited it's arrival and then it was here!  Pancake time!

With only 8 grams of net carbs this mix has a lot of wholesome whole grains.  You use is just as you would all purpose flour, so making pancakes is a cinch.  The recipe is even on the package.

So let's talk about the result.  These pancakes were light and fluffy, not dense like I expected them to be.  I was pleased at how good they tasted, with a slight nutty flavor, but overall tasted just like regular pancakes!  I will definitely be using this product more often and trying waffles and biscuits next.

Try this mix for yourself and enjoy some low carb pancakes!

Enjoy!





Low Carb Pancakes

1 cup Bob Mills Low Carb Baking Mix
1 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 Eggs
1 cup Water
3 tsp Baking Powder
4 packets of your favorite low carb sweetener
1/2 tsp Vanilla

Heat griddle or skillet over medium low heat. 
Grease with cooking spray or butter.  Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Stir until well blended.  Pour batter onto the griddle in desired sized pancakes and cook until bubbles form, top is slightly dry and bottom is golden brown.  Flip and cook the other side until golden and steam stops rising from pancake.  Serve warm with sugar free syrup or fruit.

Cucumber and Cream Cheese Lavash Wraps

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Sometimes you just need something really light to tide you over until you have a full meal.

Today's post is all about a simple snack or lunch you can make in a pinch!  MGG is Persian so we always have Lavash around the house.  Lavash is an unleavened flatbread that is thin and soft.  It's a staple in the Persian diet and has become a staple of mine as well.  We are using Lavash today to make quick Cucumber and Cream Cheese Lavash Wraps.

You can find Lavash in most grocery stores but if you can't,  then substitute with a tortilla or something like Flatout wraps,  but note the texture will be slightly different.

We tend to make wraps with Lavash as it is a good vessel because it is a large rectangular shaped bread that is thin and light.  Low in carbs,  they come in white or wheat varieties. 

These Cucumber and Cream Cheese Lavash Wraps morphed out of two favorite dishes.  An English cucumber sandwich, and a Middle Eastern snack of Lavash, tomato, cucumber, and feta.  Combined we have our light and tasty wraps!

This delicious little wrap is so easy to make it really isn't a recipe.  More like a preparation guide.  To make them stand out in flavor be sure to use quality ingredients. 3 ingredients (Lavash, cream cheese, and cucumbers) to heaven on a plate!  Get a good cream cheese.  If you like a flavored one pick one that will enhance the cucumbers such as chive and onion, or garden vegetable.  For the cucumbers make sure to get either Persian or English (hot house) cucumbers.  They are both crispy and taste fresh and light in this dish.   Then on to making the wraps.  All you have to do is a little slicing with the cucumbers and serve and eat!  Can't be more simple but is oh so satisfying.  Hope you try this soon!

Enjoy!




Cucumber and Cream Cheese Lavash Wraps

makes 1 wrap

1 piece of Lavash bread
cream cheese, spreadable consistency
1 large English cucumber, or 2-3 small Persian cucumbers, sliced thin

Place the Lavash on a work surface.  Spread with cream cheese almost to the edges.  Leave just a little room untouched.  Place cucumber slices side by side on the cream cheese.  Roll up the Lavash starting with the longest side.  Secure with a tooth pick if needed.  Cut into fourths, serve and eat!