Pasta and Bean Salad With Cumin and Coriander Dressing

Colorful salad, that's easy to make and yummy! Posted for ZWT 2006.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 10  ounces tri-color spiral pasta
• 2  tablespoons  sunflower oil
• 1  leek, sliced
• 1  red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1  cup fresh spinach, finely shredded
• 5  ounces button mushrooms, halved
• 1 (10 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (10 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2  tablespoons chives, snipped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2  ounces sunflower seeds, toasted

• Cumin and Coriander Dressing

• 2  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2  tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Cook pasta in large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.
2. In a large pan, heat the oil. Add the leek and bell pepper and stir-fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add spinach and mushrooms and toss together for about 1 minute, or until spinach just begins to wilt. Set aside.
3. Make the dressing: mix garlic, cumin, coriander, and vinegar together in a bowl. Gardually whisk in the olive oil.
4. In a salad bowl, toss the pasta, vegetables, beans, chives, and black pepper. Add the dressing and toss. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over the top and serve.