I used to be a picky eater when I was young. I wouldn’t even say picky eater, well maybe yes I would. I knew what I liked and I knew what I “wouldn’t like” in fear of trying something new. I stuck to things that were normal to eat at home and were kind of in my routine. I remember one time in middle school I was with some friends and we had a spread of appetizers on the dining table. I’ve always been a fan of dips and the liking, so I dipped a cracker into what I later found out was hummus. I think my friend told me it was something else because she probably knew that if she said, “chickpeas” I would politely say, “no thanks” and end up missing out! Well fast forward to now and I’m so glad she did. I tried the chickpeas and I loved it!
I was so happy to incorporate them into this mediterranean pasta salad recipe for a nice protein boost. The orzo pairs so nicely with the ratio of all the veggies and there is just enough of everything to make each bite delicious. I hope you enjoy this pasta salad as much as I did!
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cup dry orzo
- 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add chicken stock to a small pot and bring to a boil. Add dry orzo and cook 6-7 minutes, until orzo is cooked. Drain orzo and set aside to cool.
- To a large bowl, add chickpeas, tomatoes, feta cheese, kalamata olives, red wine vinegar, olive oil, onion, salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Add cooked orzo and mix until all ingredients are evenly combined.
- Serve cold.
Notes
Adapted from Trisha Yearwood
