With its attractive appearance and fresh flavours, this salad perks up wilted appetites in mid-summer.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
250g Organic Semi Whole Wheat or Spelt Penne
1 carrot, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 cup peas
1 small cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1/2 red or green pepper, seeded and diced
3 spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh coriander or flat leaf parsley, chopped

Dressing:
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons tahini
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice
1 tablespoon Brown Rice Malt Syrup
1 tablespoon Organic Toasted Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Organic Shoyu
1 tablespoon fresh coriander or flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Traditional Sea Salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:
1. Cook the pennette in plenty of boiling, salted water according to the directions on the pack, until ‘al dente'. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water until cool. Set aside.

2. Bring 1 litre of lightly salted water to the boil in a small saucepan, add the carrot, simmer for 1 minute, add the peas and cook for 2 more minutes. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the pennette, carrots, peas, cucumber, peppers, spring onions and coriander or parsley.

4. In a small bowl whisk all the dressing ingredients together until well blended. Drizzle about 1/3 cup of dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Add more dressing, if desired. If the salad sits before serving, toss it again at the last minute.