Asian Bowtie Pasta

This recipe was submitted by Vanessa H. She found it at the blog, Week of Menus. The original recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, but Vanessa left it out and turned into a delicious veggie meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb farfalle (bowtie) pasta (I used the mini farfalle)
• 1/3 cup canola, safflower or other mild tasting oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, cut julienne
• 1 cup of scallions, diced
• 3 tablespoons roasted sesame seed
• Pepper to taste
• 3 cups washed baby spinach
• 1/4 cup cilantro, OPTIONAL
• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes, OPTIONAL
  

Directions:

Boil and cook pasta according to directions. Make sure to salt the cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside. Return the pasta pot back to the stove. (You don't need to wash it.) Add the canola oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and rice wine vinegar. Heat over low heat until the honey is dissolved. Remove from heat and toss in the pasta. Add the bell peppers, scallions, pepper, sesame seeds, cilantro (optional) and red pepper flakes (optional). Toss well to coat all the ingredients. Before serving, toss the pasta with the spinach, to keep the vibrant green as much as possible.

This can be chilled or served warm at room temperature (which was really delicious.)

Serves 6-8

Notes about this recipe:

1. I did NOT stir in the spinach at the end. I don't want soggy spinach in my leftovers, so I put some spinach on each plate and spooned the pasta on top.