Shanthi Appelö is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan based in Detroit. Passionate about the science of nutrition and behavior, Shanthi has experience working in clinical nutrition, public health and teaching in the university setting. She earned her Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Tennessee and has a research background in maternal and child health nutrition and public health, as well as a Certificate of Training in Obesity Interventions from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, working on art and spending time with family.
Sundried Tomato Italian Pasta Salad
1 min read
Serving Amount
Ingredients
12 ounce box rotini pasta, preferably whole wheat
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
11⁄4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1⁄2 cup black olives, drained and sliced
1 English cucumber, diced
1⁄3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup sundried tomatoes, julienne cut in oil
1⁄2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3⁄4 cup Italian dressing, homemade (recipe below) or store-bought
Instructions
Step 1
Bring pasta to a boil and drop in the pasta. Cook for about 6 minutes, or to desired texture. It’s recommended to have the pasta hard to the bite so that it does not have a mushy texture when combined with dressing.
Step 2
Combine all ingredients. Enjoy!
Serving Amount
Ingredients
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp water
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3⁄4 tsp dried parsley
3⁄4 tsp dried basil
1⁄8 tsp dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1
Optional: to get more flavor from the dried spices, first grind with your fingers or in a mortar and pestle.
Step 2
Whisk all ingredients or place in a blender.
