Tuesday Night Pasta Salad

Heellloo  everyone!  I so meant to post this yesterday, but just didn't have time.   I've been seeing pasta salads everywhere lately and have been wanting to make one, but never really had the right veggies on hand to throw one together. This time I just happen to have a small variety of some good veggies, so I whipped up a pasta salad for supper Tuesday night.  Here's what mine consisted of ~

whole wheat rotini (1/2  box)

broccoli (1 bunch)

asparagus (1 small bunch)

zucchini (1 med )

2 Roma's, diced

1 carrot, shredded

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp basil, dried (I totally forgot that I had fresh basil growing outside until I was eating...duh)

1 tsp herbamare

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup Italian dressing

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs nutritional yeast

Bring water to a boil and add pasta.  While pasta is cooking chop, dice, mince and shred the veggies.  Once the pasta has finished cooking, drain and rinse in a colander.  Add the pasta back into the pot, and add all the vegetables except for the carrots and tomatoes.  Add about 1/4 cup water and olive oil.  Cook over low/med heat to slightly cook/steam the veggies.  After about 5 minutes add the carrots, tomatoes, Italian dressing, other spices, and the nutritional yeast.  Cook for another 5 minutes, or longer if you want your vegetables cooked more.  You may need to add more water to prevent the pasta from sticking if you choose to cook yours longer.

I'll definitely be making more of this pasta salad.  It turned out great.  Tuesday night I ate it hot, but Wednesday for lunch I ate it cold.  I definitely prefer my pasta hot.  For some reason cold pasta weirds me out a little...kinda like cold pizza...just not my favorite.  I can and will eat it cold....I just prefer it hot.  This would be a good pasta salad to take to a family/ friends get together this summer.  I need to remember that for any future parties that I may be attending.  :o)

~Peace~Love~Happiness~