Fettuccine Salad

~ Recipe (as well as jargon, blurb & pic) submitted by Rabab

One fine, lazy morning, I happened by an Instagram post which prompted me (I was an inch short of licking my screen) to put together this salad. Pasta has been a recent additional source of carb comfort - it sits well in my tummy for a long time after consumption and stops me from reaching out for afternoon carb fixes (most times - some days I'm just on a carb roll). This recipe is versatile as you can throw in any kind of vegetable (steamed or raw), your favourite pasta (penne, spaghetti, fettuccine etc.), cook the egg (which is optional) any way you want, and spritz in any homemade salad dressing (non-creamy if you're planning to stay within health zone parameters). I found the citrusy dressing I used didn't bode too well with the poached egg, so will probably keep the egg on a separate plate next time. Also, you can go as low or high in quantity of ingredients, contingent on people eating. (See? Versatile.).

Serves: 2 (or 1 if feeding a super hungry person)

Ingredients:
Arugula Salad: handful, chopped (you can also use iceberg lettuce or any crunchy greens)
Baby Spinach: handful, chopped
Garlic Cloves: 1-2, finely chopped (this is optional; skip it if you don't like garlic. I love garlic & use more cloves if it's just me eating)
Onion: 0.25, finely chopped (optional)
Cucumbers: 2 small, finely chopped
Orange / Red / Yellow / Green Pepper: quarter of each, finely chopped (can use 1, 2 or all of the peppers)

Steamed vegetables: Cutting the vegetables before steaming saves on cooking time.
Carrots: 1, chopped to bite size pieces
Brussels Sprouts: 4-5, cut into quarters
Green Beans: handful, cut into 3" pieces

Fettuccine Pasta: 1.5" diameter bunch uncooked
Eggs: 2 (I stick to 1 egg per person)

Salad Dressing:
Lemon Juice: 0.5 lemon
Olive Oil: 2-3tsp
Turmeric Powder: generous pinch
Salt & Pepper: to taste
Paprika Powder: pinch

Directions:
1. Cook Fettuccine as per package directions.
2. Cook egg the way you like it. I generally poach it, or fry it on days I'm feeling naughty.
3. Toss in all vegetables in a large bowl.
4. Throw in salad dressing ingredients in a small glass bottle with lid. Close lid and shake well. Do a little jiggy while you're at it.
5. Pour dressing over vegetables and mix well.
6. In a serving dish, layer with pasta, dunk out all the salad, toss some more & serve with egg.