Quick, Easy, Healthy, Pasta Salad for Tailgating
The ongoing Team Family Tailgates on the sports circuit during the spring and fall seasons is at least admirable, if not even noble. For there is a high level of commitment among the families of these sports teams from throughout the country who week after week put themselves out there, pouring their hearts out for the Team, as well as nurturing and nourishing the talented athletes through the shared community following each event.
Probably the single most valuable tip that I received from the veteran athlete parents upon the team arrival of my youngest, Alex the Athlete, was to treasure every single moment of this experience, that it would all go by so fast. And to tell you the truth, I have done such, and with Alex being a senior next fall season, oh, how quickly the time has gone by.
Being involved in the Team Family Tailgates has been an added bonus, a privilege really. Besides developing friendships with the other families, the Tailgates also provide the unique opportunity to get to know the team players, even make them special dishes, especially the International Players away from native homes. Of course, along with treasuring every moment you also experience a little heartbreak too because you become so very attached to these team players and then they graduate.
What to prepare for the Team Family Tailgate during the Sports seasons can be a challenging decision for some especially when travel is involved, and with the numbers of team players, staff, families, and fans factored in just the sheer volume of food necessary may seem daunting since everyone wants to provide the best for their Team.
Still, among the many diverse families along the Sports Tailgate trail certain commonalities exist in order to fit the circumstance. Working families with little time before travel especially need something quick to prepare, some families have other children to consider, even other athletes in their families requiring a Tailgate preparation.
Today’s Shell Pasta Salad with Artichokes, Garbanzo and Kidney Beans, Peas, and Scallions is a team favorite while fitting the bill accommodating the needs among any diverse team family situation: Quick, Easy, Healthy, Inexpensive, Flavorful, Pasta Salad at the Team Family Tailgate.
Remember to treasure every single moment of your next sporting event and Team Family Tailgate, the experience goes by so fast. GO TEAM.
Quick, Easy, Healthy, Pasta Salad for Tailgating
Ingredients
- For the Pasta Salad:
- 1 1/2 pounds medium shell pasta
- 1 16 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 16 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 16 ounce can artichoke hearts, removed from liquid, quartered
- 1 16 ounce package petite frozen peas
- 5 scallions, chopped finely
- 1/2- 3/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus more
- For the Dressing:
- 1/2-3/4 of a fresh whole lemon, juiced
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- couple pinches coarse kosher salt
- couple pinches fresh cracked black pepper
- Fresh greens to line serving platter, optional
Instructions
- Preparing the Pasta Shells: Cook in salted boiling water until el dente, drain, rinse, toss with a couple tablespoons olive oil and a good couple pinches each of kosher salt and pepper
- Preparing the Shell Pasta Salad with Garbanzo and Kidney Beans, Artichokes, Peas, and Scallions: Into a long and deep rectangular container add in the drained garbanzo and red kidney beans. Lightly salt the beans with two teaspoons of kosher salt then stir through 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Gently stir in the quartered artichoke hearts, frozen petite peas, and the scallions
- Tumble in the seasoned pasta stirring gently but thoroughly. Check seasoning adjust to taste. Fold through the fresh chopped parsley
- Stir through half of the Dressing and refresh salad with the remaining half of Dressing fifteen minutes before serving
- Line serving platter with fresh greens
- Preparing the Dressing: Stir together the lemon juice and vinegar. Whisk in the olive oil to emulsify, sprinkle in salt and pepper, whisk, check seasoning adjust to taste
2 Comments