With the weather starting to heat up, it’s time to start thinking about cold meals. This easy to make salad recipe packs a lot of flavour and works perfectly as a meal all on its own or as a side dish to some grilled chicken or steak.

INGREDIENTS:

Creamy Herbed Dressing

  • ½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
  • ⅓ cup nonfat plain yogurt
  • ¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar or white-wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste1
  • ½ teaspoons dried minced onion or dried chopped chives
  • 1¼ teaspoons dried tarragon or dill
  • ½ teaspoon onion salt or celery salt or ¼ teaspoon of each
  • White pepper to taste

Salad

  • 3 cups cooked whole-wheat fusilli or similar pasta
  • 4 cups chopped broccoli florets (about 1½ large heads)
  • 1½ cups diced ham (8 ounces)
  • 1 large red or yellow bell pepper (or a combination), diced
  • ¼ cup diced red onion
  • ⅓ cup raisins
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 4 cups spinach leaves

DIRECTIONS:

To prepare the dressing:

  1. Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, honey, onion (or chives), tarragon (or dill) and onion salt (and/or celery salt) in a bowl until well blended.
  2. Season with white pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.

To prepare salad:

  1. Combine pasta, broccoli, ham, bell pepper, diced onion and raisins in a large bowl.
  2. Add dressing and toss until evenly incorporated.
  3. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
  4. Serve on a bed of spinach or romaine.