Healthy Recipe: Tortellini Primavera Salad

A healthy way for the entire family to enjoy eating vegetables is to serve this delicious tortellini primavera salad. This pasta salad is easy to prepare and is loaded with vegetables and tasty tortellini stuffed with spinach and cheese.

Tortellini primavera salad can be served as a light lunch, at a barbecue or for the family gathering on Father’s Day, June 16.  It will be served at this year’s Amigos for Kids Miami Celebrity Domino Night, Saturday, June 8.

Tortellini Primavera Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pound organic spinach and cheese tortellini
• 1 pound vegetable medley (cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, etc.)
• 6 cups salad medley (radicchio, Belgium endive, arugula)
• 3 cups herb-roasted fava beans, canned
• 1 cup fresh grape tomatoes
• ½ cup scallions
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, roasted
• 2 tablespoons fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved

Dressing:
Prepare dressing in a bowl.

• 2+ cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup fresh basil chiffonade
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• Add a pinch of salt and black pepper

Preparation:

• Boil, drain and chill the tortellini.
• Cut the vegetables into bite-size pieces. Steam until al dente and chill.
• Julienne (slice) the salad medley into short thin strips.
• Drain fava beans and sauté in olive oil and Italian seasonings until cooked al dente.
• Roast pumpkin seeds for 5 minutes to bring out the flavor.
• Cut grape tomatoes in half and thinly slice scallions.
• Place together in a bowl.

To Serve:

• Using the salad medley as the base, place a small amount of dressing with the tortellini.
• Place a small amount of dressing with vegetable medley and place on top of the tortellini.
• Add fava beans to grape tomato and scallion mix with a little dressing to the salad
• Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and Parmesan cheese.
• Bon Appetit!

Nutritional information for tortellini (per serving ):  Calories 451, Total Fat 10.8g, Saturated Fat 3.2g, Cholesterol 36mg, Sodium 864mg, Total 69.1mg, Dietary Fiber 11.4g, Total Sugars 14 g, Protein 23.2g)

Nutritional information for dressing (per serving):  Calories 76% Daily Value; Total Fat 8.5g, Saturated Fat 1.2g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 7mg, Total .5g, Dietary Fiber 01.g, Total Sugars 0 g, Protein 0.2g)

About the Chef
Chef Bob Gilardi is director of dining services and executive chef at Doctors Hospital. His culinary career at Baptist Health South Florida spans more than 30 years. Previously, Chef Bob served as executive sous chef at Hyatt Hotels and sauté and saucier cook at Chez Vendome restaurant in Coral Gables, Fla. Chef Bob is a graduate of Miami Dade College and Florida International University School of Hospitality Management.

Tags: healthy recipes