Spiral Pasta Salad -

I am loving these sunny summer days especially because it means more barbecues and more delicious eats! 

This batch was made with what was left in the crisper.  I recommend adding broccoli and bell peppers!

Below is a recipe for a favorite pasta salad of mine.  It's fresh, attractive, easy, and not as heavy as cheese or cream-laden pasta salads.  Plus, my milk-allergic kids can eat it!

You can play with the amounts of pasta and veggies and you can switch out different vegetables depending on your tastes.  When I'm making it on a whim, it's got whatever is left in the fridge (usually celery, carrots, tomatoes, corn). I try to make this dish as colorful as possible -- bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green), celery, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, corn -- there are so many ways to go!  When you are making the dressing, do keep the ratios the same.  You may find that you need to double the dressing recipe or half it depending on how big your salad ends up being.

This recipe is free of 7 of the 8 most common food allergens.  By substituting brown rice pasta for regular pasta, you can make this completely free of the top 8. 

Spiral Pasta Salad adapted from Darlene Kileel's submission to AllRecipes.com
Salad:
16 oz package of spiral or macaroni pasta
(I like Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Rotelle.  Trader Joe's sells brown rice pasta as well.)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped tomatoes or blanched broccoli, chopped

Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use canola or olive)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp +2 Tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
Ground pepper to taste

1. Combine all dressing ingredients together.  Stir until sugar is well mixed.  Chill in refrigerator for at least a couple of hours to allow the flavors to combine.
2. Cook pasta according to directions on package.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside to further drain. 
3. Add chopped vegetables to pasta.  Gently mix until vegetables are well distributed.
4. Toss pasta veggie mix with dressing until everything is evenly coated. 
5. Refrigerate at least a couple of hours before serving to let dressing absorb into pasta.

I like to make this pasta the night before or morning of a barbecue.  It's best when the pasta has had time to absorb the dressing.