Easy Pasta Salad

One of my goals for the 100 Days to a Better Me challenge is to eat more fruits and vegetables. I found a recipe for Easy Pasta Salad from I Heart Naptime that I wanted to try.

The original pin looks so colorful and healthy; and I thought it would make a hearty lunch or side dish for dinner. It makes enough for 10-12 servings, so I made only half a recipe. Even half a recipe could make more than enough for a meal.

Easy Pasta Salad that I made.

The recipe was indeed easy to make. It has a mild flavor, perhaps due to my choice in Italian dressing. I think a zesty Italian dressing would be a bit better to give the salad more flavor. Nonetheless, I would make this recipe again. The combination of fresh vegetables, olives, and chick peas was delicious.

Ingredients:

11/2 boxes rotini noodles or penne pasta (I used tri-color/flavor rotini)
1 bottle Italian dressing
1 red bell pepper
2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 cups chick peas (I used ones that were canned)
1 purple onion
1 cup olives, optional (I included these and cut each olive in half)
Cheese, optional (I didn't include cheese)

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package. Drain and rinse under cold water. Slice vegetables and combine with pasta in a large bowl. Pour Italian dressing over the top and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can also top with cheese.