Greek Pasta Salad with White Beans

By Sharon T

A single serving of this recipe is a complete 1:1:1 meal. 1:1:1 Accelerated option: For dinner, skip the pasta—the beans serve as your carb and your protein. Serve over mixed greens. This is now a white bean salad!

Ingredients

• 5 ounces penne pasta
• 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped--delete
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice or to taste
• 1 1/4 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives or1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese Freshly ground black pepper

Details

Adapted from oneoneonediet.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a small nonstick saucepan over medium heat, place the beans, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the garlic, mint if using, basil, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon juice to make a dressing.
4. Transfer the cooked pasta to a serving bowl. Top it with the beans, spinach, tomatoes, and olives (if using). Add the dressing and pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with the feta (if using) and serve.