Lisa saw this recipe on 101 Cookbooks and immediately added it to her must-have list. The cool salad was a tasty treat during our mini-heatwave a few weeks ago. For the sprouts, we found a pack that included many varieties we hadn’t previously tried — they added crunch and texture to this healthy dish.

Orzo Super Salad
1 cup dried orzo pasta
8 – 10 medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
1/2 a medium head of broccoli, cut into small trees
small handful of mint, chopped

1 small clove of garlic, mashed with a big pinch of salt and chopped
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

a small handful of sprouts
1/3 cup almonds, toasted
1/2 small cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium avocado, sliced into small pieces
1/4 cup feta, crumbled

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and boil the orzo per package instructions. 30 seconds before the orzo is finished cooking stir the asparagus and broccoli into the orzo pot. Cook for the final 30 seconds, drain and run under a bit of cold water to stop the cooking.

Meanwhile, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt into the dressing. Set aside.

To serve the salad, toss the orzo, asparagus, broccoli, and mint with about half the dressing. Add more dressing if needed, and toss well. Now add the sprouts, almonds, cucumber, avocado, and feta. Very gently toss a couple of times to distribute the ingredients throughout the salad and serve.

Serves 4.