Pasta Salad with Apricots, Dates, and Orange Dressing
Salad
12oz medium shell whole grain or brown rice pasta
1 ½ cups sweet red or green peppers, diced
¾ cup dried unsulfured apricots, diced
¾ cup dried dates or prunes, diced
½ cup green onions, chopped
Dressing
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp frozen 100% orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 ½ tsp garlic, crushed
½ cup parsley, chopped
Cook pasta in boiling water or until firm to the bite. Rinse with cold water. Drain and place in serving bowl. Add sweet peppers, dried fruit, and green onions.
To make the dressing; in a small bowl combine vinegar, orange juice concentrate, oil, lemon juice, water, garlic, and parsley. Pour over salad and toss.
Adapted from the Complete Canadian Diabetes Cookbook, edited by Katherine E. Younker.
Nutritional Value of Select Ingredients
Peppers – Bell peppers are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available. It is beneficial for preventing cataracts, preventing blood clots, and reducing the risk of heart attacks. They are very high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, and many phytonutrients.
Apricots – The carotenes that give apricots their colour are beneficial for preventing macular degeneration, heart disease, and cancer. They can act as a laxative, are a potent antioxidant, and help improve circulation.
Onions – Because they are high in sulfur, onions help lower cholesterol, inhibit cancerous tumor growth, help manage diabetes, and are an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal food that are also a blood tonic. Eat them daily – raw or cooked.
Olive Oil – Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, making this oil quite stable for medium temperature cooking. It has a good variety of vitamins and minerals, and can help lower LDL cholesterol, control blood pressure, and aid in diabetes.
Parsley – This herb is useful as a diuretic, useful for detoxification and ingestion, and helps the lungs and spleen. Great for the kidneys, parsley is full of minerals, vitamins, fibre, and phytonutrients.
