A High Protein Vegan Pasta Salad (recipe)
This vegan pasta salad (Rainbow Plant Life) is a good way to use up courgettes (conventional pesto is not even vegetarian, it contains calf rennet). This pesto is made by caramelising chunked courgettes with garlic, salt and red pepper flakes. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes and chickpeas.
Why Make This Recipe?
It’s not just cheap and filling, but high in natural protein thanks to the chickpeas, so all the ingredients are easy to find.
Food Safety Tips
Avoid courgettes that are wrinkled or have yellow skin or black spots. Store in the fridge. Choose organic to avoid cross-pollinated seed batches that carry a toxin (Tim Dowling writes how he poisoned himself with homegrown courgettes). Keep this recipe away from pets, due to onion, garlic and salt.
Ingredients Needed?
Very simple affordable ones: onion, garlic, pasta, cherry tomatoes and tinned chickpeas.
Courgettes (called ‘zucchini’ in North America) are quite popular in England, especially for Mediterranean recipes like ratatouille. Related to squash, the smallest courgettes tend to be most tasty (if not harvested, they grow into marrows).
Which Pasta to Use?
Look in stores for Yorkshire Pasta Company or The Northern Pasta Co (both are made with British wheat, and sold in plastic-free packaging).
Serve with Grated Vegan Cheese
Conventional Parmesan is not vegetarian (it contains a cheese that by law, contains calf rennet). Instead, just grate good vegan cheese over the top.
How to Recycle Empty Tins
Before recycling, always pop the lid inside the tin (or pop the ring-pull over the hole). This stops wildlife getting trapped, if they came across them.
Compost Food Scraps?
Unless you’re an expert composter, avoid composting acidic scraps (onion, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives, tomatoes, citrus, rhubarb) as this could harm compost bin creatures. Just bin them, to break down naturally.
Peaceful Politics in Action!
Making a plate of homemade pasta salad with fresh veggies and protein-high chickpeas is a peaceful political act! Every meal you make with natural plant-based ingredients and seasonal produce, is helping to create a country where nutritious food matters. Is affordable to everyone – and tastes good too!
