Seriously, cold pasta salads are fabulous in the summer. As always, this is easy and delicious. What you will need:
1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends twisted off (discard) and stems broken into desired size – steam to desired softness
1 package pasta, I used a gluten-free pasta – cook with salt to give a salty flavor to dish
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts – if you buy raw pine nuts like I do, quickly toast in a pan (they burn easily)
Juice and zest from 1 medium lemon
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS rice vinegar
2 generous handfuls fresh baby arugula
2/3 cup Daiya shredded mozzarella
2 bunches fresh basil, large leaves torn into smaller pieces
Black pepper to taste
Place the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir. Add everything but the cheese and stir. If the pasta is still warm, the arugula will wilt, which is a wonderful texture change in the dish. Chill at least an hour and stir in cheese just before serving. Yummers!
