I’m not sure why, in the recent times, carbohydrates have got such a bad name. Carbohydrates, or carbs as everyone refers to them as, are a necessary part of our diet and are the primary source of energy without which we wouldn’t be able to function. Our ancestors have been eating carbohydrates for ever and our bodies need them. Of course, it is understandable that certain health conditions require restriction of carbs. I would blame our “modern” diets and lifestyles largely for the bad reputation that carbs have.
Coming from a predominantly rice eating culture, for me carbs are a natural part of my diet. It is a bit difficult to imagine my meals without some form of it. By extension, then it’s not surprising (to me anyways) that I love pasta as well. The sheer variety of the shapes available ensures a lack of monotony when it comes to cooking pasta.
I recently discovered Rotelle or Ruote, a wheel shaped pasta, while shopping at one of the supermarkets here. Not surprisingly, this pasta derives its name from the Italian word for little wheels. It is commonly referred to as wagon wheel pasta in English, especially in the US. Pasta comes in varied shapes and the larger or tubular shapes tend to hold more sauce within them unlike spaghetti which would be very lightly coated in comparison. The general rule of thumb is that the bigger the pasta the heartier the sauce it should come with. Those with a lot of holes/ crevices are good at holding bits of tomato and other ingredients that come in a chunky sauce.
That aside, I also happen to like Pasta Salads. To me, it’s a perfect one-dish meal whichever way one looks at it. It’s pretty easy to put together. It’s a great way to use up those bits of vegetables in the crisper. You can have hot or cold and it’s a perfectly balanced meal if you can add a bit of protein to it. This Pasta Salad ticks all those boxes and makes for a light and cooling minty summer time lunch. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand and different pasta too. I added chickpeas for protein and used the dark brown kind because that is what I had on hand ready to use. I used English cucumbers because it’s the season for them now, they don’t require peeling and have very little seeds.
Ruote, Rotelle or Wagon Wheel Pasta Salad With Chickpeas, Cucumbers & Mint
Ingredients
- 2 medium English cucumbers
- 1 large onion, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans/ chickpeas
- 3 cups cooked Ruote/ Rotelle pasta
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup chopped mint
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the English cucumbers (there’s no need to peel them) lengthwise in half and slice them. Put them, the onions, tomatoes, chickpeas and the pasta into a large bowl and mix together. Put the remaining ingredients for the dressing (except the salt and pepper and nuts) into a small glass jar, cover tightly, and shake together to mix.
- When ready to serve, agitate the dressing once again, and then pour into the salad. Season with salt and pepper. Toss so the salad is coated well with the dressing. Mix in the nuts and serve.
I'm Aparna and My Diverse Kitchen is my ovo-lacto vegetarian food blog where you'll find recipes, food stories & photography. I've been blogging since 2007 and believe the kitchen, and the dining table (by extension) is really the heart of a home. 
Your salad looks colorful and delicious!
Speaking of carbohydrates, many millions of people (myself included) are diabetic or at high risk for diabetes- and since diabetes is a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism, we have to worry about the amount of carbs we eat. So it is not so much that carbs have a bad name, but that for so many of us, it is medically necessary to restrict them.
I understand. I’m a diabetic and understand how carbohydrate metabolism is important and the need to restrict carbs. I was talking largely about people who are wight loss diets that point at carbs as if they were altogether a bad thing. They’re not, are necessary for energy and how (and how much) you choose to incorporate them in your diet is what is important.