Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is one of my favorite foods ever-thanks to my friend Heather for getting me addicted to it :)

It is really easy to make and healthy for you too!  If you have some of the ingredients available in your own garden, then it is pretty inexpensive to make as well.  This pasta salad is very versatile- you can change the ingredients that you add to suit your palate or depending on what you have on hand.

Here's what you need:

• 12-16 oz. of pasta cooked.  I used some whole wheat noodles this time, but I often use tri-colored rotini.  Lots of different pasta would be great with it though- bow- tie, penne, any type of rotini, or shaped pasta.
• Italian Salad Dressing- this time I used zesty italian, but I have some sun-dried tomato vinegarette that I think I'll try next time.
• Tomatoes:  either cherry, grape, or chopped whole tomatoes
• Sweet Bell Pepper (like green) chopped up
• Optional:
• black beans- rinsed and drained.  I added about 1/2 a can this time and it was really good
• fresh basil diced up
• Chopped up yellow or red onion
• sliced black olives
• chopped up cucumber
• cheese- parmesan or Feta- I sprinkled on some Feta cheese this time and it is delicious!
• I think I might actually be able to get my husband to eat this if I tried sprinkling on cooked, chopped up bacon.

After you cook the pasta, drain and rinse it if you would like with cold water to help bring down the temperature of it.  Add all the other ingredients you are using to the pasta and toss to coat with the dressing of your choice.