Teriyaki Bowtie Spinach Salad

 {Meatless Monday}

This is the MOST amazingly delicious salad!!  I was not sure what to expect. It is a mix between a pasta and a spinach salad, but it is so scrumptious.  There are just so many goodies in it, what's not to like??

Here's what you need:

1 16 oz package bowtie pasta, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and drained

1 bag of baby spinach

2 cans of mandarine oranges
1 cup craisins
1 red pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions

1 cup cashews 

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted if you want

Dressing:
1 cup oil
2/3 cup white wine vinegar--I used 1/2 Rice Vinegar and 1/2 regular Vinegar
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper
2/3 cup Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce (you MUST use this brand...it is SO much better than Kikkoman's)
5 Tbs sugar 

I was able to find this brand at my Walmart...it was just over $3, I think.  It really is a GOOD teriyaki sauce...like one you would make at home!

I mix up the dressing while the pasta is cooking.  Then combine the cooled pasta with the dressing and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.  Once I have that in the fridge, then I chop up the red pepper and green onions and put them in a container in the refrigerator.  All you have to do now is throw it all together about 10 minutes before you are going to serve it.  It makes A LOT...so for my family, I "marinated" all the pasta with all the sauce, but then I only mixed up half of the salad for our dinner.  Then, the next day, I was able to mix up the other half for lunch with friends and everything was still fresh.

I recommend making this SOON...it is so yummy...I think it will become a favorite salad for you too!