
There is nothing on this planet that I love more than a pasta salad with an obnoxious amount of garlic. But as good as pasta is, and it is good, sometimes it’s just not the right choice for the job. When you’re looking for something semi-refreshing, for instance, pasta is not your man. Yes, pasta is my love language and yes, it is soul satisfying but it isn’t exactly light even in its chilled format. Enter quinoa, the perfect pasta stand-in for any and all would-be pasta salads. Take today’s Fava Bean Quinoa Salad for instance. You could replace the quinoa with pasta but doesn’t it feel that much more BBQ-side-appropriate with quinoa? Am I crazy? Wait! Don’t answer that.

