Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad

Approx. cook and prep time 10-15 minutes

Enjoy Warm or Cold

My son LOVES pasta, so this is how I get him to eat veggies  as well. 

Ingredients

-Your favorite pasta 

-Veggies

-Pesto (homemade or store brought) 

Optional items to add

-Chicken

-Chunks of mozzarella

-Creamy Italian dressing 

I make this in a hurry so here is my method for making this in ten minutes:

1. Place your water to boil (salt the water) and cover the pot with a lid for faster boiling.

2. While water is on its way to boiling cut up veggies. I used zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes. 

3. One water is boiling add your pasta.

4. Add the zucchini and squash about 4 minutes into the pasta boiling. 

5. One pasta is cooked to desired tenderness, drain and put back into the same warm pot.  Add in tomatoes and toss with pesto. The amount of pesto added is up to you. (If you want to add chucks of mozzarella simply pour the pasta salad into a bowl and add the chunks once removed from heat)

As an option you can add chicken (which I do often). In order to do that quickly I cut boneless/skinless chicken breast into small chunks. I sauté those in a pan with a little bit of olive oil while the pasta is boiling. I also sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper on the chicken while it cooks.

The good thing about this dish is that you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator and eat from it the next day or serve it as a side to another dish (which is was I did and will post that meal next).