Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

It’s been a long, fun-filled last two weeks.

Rob & I just got home on Tuesday, and after three days back at work I’m back to this lovely corner of the internet I call home.

We roadtripped to Montana to meet with my family in Great Falls, traveled to Havre for my uncle’s wedding, then roadtripped all across Alberta, Canada. First stop: The Badlands.

Made a trip to Dinosaur Provincial Park, then stay in Drumheller for a few days at the most charming motel.

After that it was to Banff. If you’re unaware, Banff is pretty much the most gorgeous section of Earth. Snow still littered the tops of the mountians, and despite recession due to climate change, the glaciers were still gorgeous to gaze at on the Icelands Parkway.

A stop at Lake Louise was in order, and its magnificiently teal waters. I wanted to live on the coast of this lake, despite there being far too many tourists packed together to take a peak at the dazzling view.

We even stayed one night in British Columbia on the western edge of Banff.

Of course, we partook in all of the best foods Canada has to offer…including the weird snacks. Kinder Surprise eggs (which we may or may not have smuggled across the border), ketchup flavored chips (very odd, to say the least), and Hickory sticks (my favorite of the bunch) were all purchased first thing when we crossed the border.

Lots of poutine and a trip to Tim Horton’s were in the cards for us as well. The Tim Horton’s we stopped at was a more express-style one, and the employees were pretty clueless—but the TimBits were well worth it, and the cruellers (which I have a hell of a time searching for in Oklahoma!) were mouthwateringly good.

Unfortunately, we really slacked on the nutrition department. I got back to the gym on Wednesday and weighed myself…gained 7 pounds. Ugh. Add that to 20+ I have gained since the wedding, and we desperately need to get back on track.

I’ve decided to try out the Keto diet, despite my opposition at first. Eating cheese to lose weight?? That goes against everything I’ve ever heard about healthy eating. After an evening of research, it started making sense. I’m going to grocery store today to get started, so expect ultra-low carb, high-fat & protein meals for a while.

With that being said, I still have a few recipes in the can from before we left. This ultra-high carb one is one of them. I had tried a lemon basil pasta salad in the pre-made salad section at Trader Joe’s and was immediately smitten. It seemed so simple that I decided to make it myself…and had a successful recipe on my hands.

Loads of Parmesan and basil are needed to make this side (or meatless main dish!) sing. Don’t be skimpy! You want all that good good flavor.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. During last 2 minutes of cooking, add peas. Drain and let cool.

Mix together the dressing: in a small bowl, combing the juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest.

In a large bowl, toss the pasta and peas with the dressing, parmesan, zucchini spirals, and basil. Serve immediately or chill for a few hours in the fridge.