Easy Caprese Pasta Salad

Jan 31, 2019

Do you ever start to feel overwhelmed towards the end of the week?  

Then this Easy Caprese Pasta Salad is for you!

Sometimes during the end of the week I start to feel physically and emotionally drained.  During this time thoughts come up such as “screw making dinner, maybe I’ll just pick something up”.  

What really helps me during these moments is having ingredients on hand to prepare a quick meal.  If there’s already fresh cut vegetables at home, meat thawed and ready to be cooked, and a fast cooking grain or starch such as Banza pasta the choice is a bit easier for me. 

For this recipe the vegetables and parsley were leftovers from a previous meal, which cuts down on extra time spent washing and cutting.  Add some vinegar, oil, seasonings, and this meal is ready to go in less than 20 minutes.  

Easy Caprese Pasta Salad

“I’m exhausted and stressed, I want to grab a quick bite to eat.”

There is one thing I have to mention.  Please do not feel bad for choosing the other option.   Sometimes life gets hectic, and the only way to stay sane is to give yourself a break and enjoying some good food out.  I have plenty of tasty restaurants in the Atlanta area that I love to frequent.  Whether they are considered healthy or not.  Food is meant to be enjoyed and not feel like punishment.

“Isn’t eating out unhealthy?”

I can almost guarantee that one meal out will not make you “unhealthy”.  The idea that people have to live this perfect, healthy life is impractical.  Perfectionism when it comes to your diet is not realistic.

When looking at this photo you would not believe the epic fail it started out as.  I felt stressed while making this meal, and for some reason, I put the noodles and water in a pot together to boil.  Instead of doing what I have known to do my whole adult life by letting the water come to a boil and then adding the noodles.  On top of that, I found out that my fresh basil turned into a soggy mess in the fridge.  The old me would have flipped my s**t and maybe called myself some mean names.   

Sometimes we need to give ourselves some compassion.  Instead of focusing on all of the “slip-ups” we make throughout the day or week.  As a recovering perfectionist, this can be extremely hard.  It’s always good to remind yourself of all the positive changes you are making, and that it’s okay to mess up or not be perfect.  You are human.  Life goes on and you will too.  

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Easy Caprese Pasta Salad

Easy Caprese Pasta Salad


  • Author: Heather Lasco, RD
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Description

This easy caprese pasta salad is perfect for any busy weeknight dinner, makes a great leftover for lunch, or can even be taken to a party as a side.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Box Rotini Banza Noodles
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 large head of broccoli, cut into small-medium size florets
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 4 oz mozzarella, cubed
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Pepper
  • Salt

Instructions

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta to the pot and cook according to package.
  2. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water while stirring.
  3. Add pasta, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, basil, mozzarella, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to the original pot if big enough or a large bowl.
  4. Stir until ingredients are well combined.
  5. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner, Lunch

Keywords: Easy Caprese Pasta Salad, meal prep, pot luck recipe, picnic recipe, homemade, italian, greek, dinner, healthy, lunch leftovers, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, balsamic vinegar

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heather lasco confidently nourished dietitian

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