Canned beans help transform this pasta salad into an easy lunch recipe. It also features spinach, which benefits eye health, reduces oxidative stress, may help prevent cancer, and reduce blood pressure levels. This salad also boasts plenty of muscle building protein; just one serving of great northern beans provides 8.3 grams of protein! To keep this salad fresh, keep the spinach separate and stir it in just before serving. Enjoy!
1. Place spinach in a large serving bowl. Add beans, tomatoes, and onions. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice, oil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over the salad mixture and toss the mixture to coat evenly. Cover; let stand at room temperature while preparing pasta.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking pasta water. Toss cooked pasta and reserved pasta water with the salad mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with Feta cheese (or queso fresco).
Per Serving: Calories 367, Carbohydrates 56 g, Protein 14 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Sodium 392 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugars 3 g