One of the hardest part about coming up with a recipe for me is actually giving the recipe a name. So after a few test runs with this recipe, after the photos were done and the recipe written out, I was stuck here with this “Greekish” pasta salad with no real name for it and everything that I came up with sounded silly.
So I turned to Facebook and my friends on my fan page came to the rescue. That’s where “Greek “Dill”-light Pasta Salad ” came from 🙂 (Thanks, Robin!) You know… it’s a Greek themed pasta salad, with dill and it’s a play on “Greek Delight Pasta Salad “. haha Ok, I loved it so there you have it. We have Greek “Dill”-light Pasta Salad!
Today’s I’m celebrating with Dreamfields because their 3rd Annual Pastapalooza Pasta Salad Celebration is going on right now! I had the chance to get to know Dreamfields at Mixed Con last year and they have made their way into our home as one of our “go-to” pasta brands. This is a big deal for me because normally when it comes to pasta I just go by the lowest price not the brand. So for a brand to grab my attention enough for me to search it out at the store means that they are a true winner here.
One of the things that we love about Dreamfields is that it has the same taste and texture as regular pasta but it has more fiber and fewer digestible carbohydrates (5g per serving!)
Which totally means that I can have more of this pasta salad without the guilt right? haha. I also feel less guilty about eating this because I make it with a greek yogurt base instead of a heavy mayo base! Go me! 😉
I went off of a recipe for a dill sauce that my friend Anne sent to me. I had to make the yogurt base a few times to get it to where I wanted it to be, but once I did it was so good!
Anne always has amazing ideas and she’s always sending me ideas and recipes that she uses in her kitchen for healthier eating. But… Anne measures nothing. 😉 So once I get all of these amazing recipes from her I head into my kitchen with my notebook, measuring cups and haul from the store to find out exactly what amounts I need to make something that BigBear and I will love.
Anne and I are pretty much the perfect team. We had been talking about Greek food and she was telling me how she makes her Greek Salads when I had a “YES!” moment and wrote myself a note to make that Greek salad.
But when Susan asked me if I would be a part of the celebration and that Dreamfields was looking for pasta salad recipes to celebrate their 3rd Annual Pastapalooza I knew exactly what I was going to do! Turn that Greek Salad and Greek Dressing into a pasta salad! It became my mission and I’m happy to say that I succeed 🙂
Although this pasta salad is more than enough to celebrate with, Dreamfields is giving away a whole case of Dreamfields pasta to one lucky reader!! Yep! That’s right! And it’s so easy to enter to win! Check out the recipe and then read below to enter!
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by Angie Barrett July-29-2013
1 box DreamFields Penne Rigate
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
2 tablespoons dill
1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup black olives
2 cups cooked chicken, diced**optional
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water. Once boiling add the pasta and cook for 10-11 minutes until the pasta is done. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the pasta salad.
In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add in the Greek yogurt and mix until well combined. Add in dill and stir well.
** I combined everything into my manual food processor but if you don’t have a food processor mixing it by hand should work as well.**
Once everything is mixed well, add the pasta to the bowl. Mix well. Mix in the tomatoes and olives. If adding the chicken, add it now 🙂 Mix in 2 cups cooked , diced chicken.
Serve cold.
*The dressing/pasta will dry out a bit if left in the fridge for a while, I just make extra dressing to add to it when I’m ready to serve*
Yields – 6-8 large servings
Dreamfields is providing the prize for this giveaway and I have been compensated for my time, but as always the opinions in this post at 100% mine 🙂 We use Dreamfields at home and love the brand.
That looks so yummy! Just might be on our menu this week!
thanks for offering a giveaway, I have so much fresh dill growing this year this will be a perfect use for it.
Your pasta salad looks wonderful. (Great name!!!) I think it might be my first recipe I’d make. Either that or Sherri’s Pesto Pasta. Great giveaway!
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Love this lightened up pasta salad ~ I’m always looking for ways to use Greek yogurt in place of heavier ingredients.
I would love to make a penne alla vodka or a yummy pasta salad!
We always have an Italian Pasta Salad. I definitely think your lovely Greek Salad would be a nice change this August.
I love pasta salad, this looks delicious can’t wait to try it out :0)
I have the same problem with naming recipes! Mine usually end up being way too long since I want to include all the ingredients. I actually think I have a pasta salad called “Greek Pasta Salad with Crab and Feta,” to which I also wanted to add “and Zucchini and Vinaigrette…” Oy…tone it back Courtney. 🙂
I’d try the Greek Dill-light Pasta Salad, of course.
looks so delicious! I’d love to make their pasta puttanesca.
I love Greek flavors, looks wonderful Angie 🙂
I love this recipe! To me, these ingredients are the epitome of summer. This is definitely on my must make list.
I would make a pasta salad with fresh tomatoes and green peppers!
I love and shared this recipe and can’t wait to try it!
I love Pasta Salad! Can’t wait to make some!
I’d make my famous mac & cheese first!
Mmmmm…I love all the dill in this. Scrumptious!
I would make spaghetti!
LOL, adorable name! And it looks SO good, too. If I won the pasta, I think I’d start with a pasta salad, too – one of my favorite any-time-of-the-day snacks!
I would make garlic shrimp with linguine.
lasagna!
shrimp scampi pasta
Chicken Alfredo with fettuccini!
We eat a lot of dreamfields in our home. Lately it has been a lot of macaroni salads
Classic spaghetti and meatballs is always a family favorite!
I’d try Chicken Marsala with penne pasta and fresh grilled mushrooms!
I’d make this new Greek salad or baked pasta and meatballs!
You make me blush…and hope to try this pasta 😉 We are going to have to cook while you are here!
Oh also, I would make Crab Mac and cheese!