COLD, ASIAN PASTA SALAD WITH A SESAME-GINGER JALAPENO DRESSING

I love cold pasta salads, don't you?!  They're especially nice this time of year in the heat.  This makes a wonderful, easy weeknight meal, a great potluck dish and a nice bring a long to a picnic!  I use lentil pasta in this dish which is a fairly new item in the market.  It has a great amount of protein and fiber, more than even a brown rice pasta.  If you can seek it out, go for it.  If not, any pasta you have is just fine.  

INGREDIENTS:

DRESSING:

1/2 cup Coconut Aminos (Coconut Secret is the brand)

1 heaping tablespoon of Coconut Syrup ( same brand as above or favorite liquid sweetener)

1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil

Juice of one Orange

Juice of 3 limes

1 tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes

2 Scallions chopped (2 white and light green parts only)

1 1/2 Tablespoons of grated ginger

1/4 of 1 jalapeno, chopped

1 teaspoon sweet miso paste (optional but good)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

VEGGIES

1 red and yellow bell pepper thinly sliced into one-inch pieces

1 cup snow peas cut vertically in 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped red cabbage

1 cup chopped fresh baby spinach

2 thinly sliced scallions

1 box of your favorite gluten-free pasta ( I used Lentil pasta shaped like Rotini but a brown rice pasta would work well too)

Toasted Sesame Seeds for garnish

Cook pasta according to box but keep it al dente, which would be on the lower cooking end of the cooking time suggested.  Make sure to rinse under cold water after you drain it and set aside.  As pasta cools in the colander, simply add dressing ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until thoroughly combined.  Check for seasonings.  If  you like it hotter add more jalapeno and/or ginger.  If you like it sweeter, add a touch more liquid sweetener.  Transfer cooled pasta to a bowl and add the dressing and mix thoroughly.  Once combined add remaining scallions and sesame seeds.  Tastes even better when it has been chilled a few hours!