Snap Pea Artichoke Pasta Salad
Here's a big yummy salad to bring to your spring barbecues. Cut the recipe in half for your family or small groups (except use all of the artichokes in two jars of marinated artichokes). The sugar snap peas are cooked for 3 minutes in the pasta water to bring out their sweetness and then shocked in ice water to keep their color. Between the marinated artichoke hearts and the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, the salad has lots of flavors and doesn't require much dressing. Use your favorite balsamic vinaigrette recipe or just simply use olive oil, balsamic vinegar and crushed garlic as directed below. For even more flavor add fresh basil, red onion and/or fresh chives. I use a high fiber or whole grain pasta to boost the nutrition even more. Enjoy!