This delightfully different salad was created by prize winner Gail Dean of St. Augustine, Florida. Gail says, "Treat yourselves and experience a taste of Mediterranean cuisine."

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

5 ounces Spelt Small Shell or Spelt Elbow pasta
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped yellow pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 large spinach or romaine lettuce leaves
16 orange segments
2 tablespoons pine nuts (garnish)
Whole mint leaves (garnish)
Dressing:
1 cup plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons orange juice
2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon turbinado sugar ( or other sweetener )
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation:
Cook the Spelt pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Drain well, rinse under cool running water and drain again. Set aside.
To prepare the dressing, place all the dressing ingredients in a 1-quart bowl, and mix thoroughly with a wire whisk. Set aside.
Transfer the pasta to a 3-quart bowl, and add the raisins, scallions, peppers, and parsley. Toss to mix. Add the salad dressing, and stir gently to mix. Cover the bowl, and chill for at least 1 hour or until cold.
Place 1 spinach or lettuce leaf on each of 4 dinner plates. Arrange 4 orange segments on each plate, equally spacing them around the edges of the plate. Mound one fourth of the pasta in the center of each plate, leaving part of the orange segments visible. Garnish each mound of pasta with pine nuts and mint leaves.