Pasta Salad

So the days have finally gotten warm in Toronto, so when I ask "what do you want for dinner" I get "I dunno ... something cool and easy". Well, it is always easy if you don't fix it, but that is another story. Anyway, this pasta salad was so easy and so good.

I started with about a pound bag of spiral pasta ... egg free and whole wheat. Cook to the directions.
Once cooked run it under cold water to stop it from cooking more ... don't over cook it!
Next I added some bite sized broccoli pieces, some sweet red bell pepper cut into small pieces, a large jar of artichoke hearts with the seasoned oil they come in, a can of mixed been salad (these are for protein but so yummy), a couple green onions (or scallions) chopped up, some roasted red bell peppers in oil cut into strips, some sun dried tomatoes cut up and some whole sweet grape tomatoes. The topper was to pour over a bottle of Newman's Own Balsamic Dressing ... add salt and pepper and baby you got a meal! You could also add some toasted almonds, cashews or pine nuts for even more protein, but if all the salad isn't eaten they will go soft on you.

We are still eating it. It grows in the bowl.