This pasta salad is a balanced meal on its own. Perfect for a quick lunch on the go, it’s even better as leftovers.

Serving Size: about 2 cups

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 8-oz box whole grain rotini pasta*
• 8-oz container cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup black olives, rinsed and halved
• ¼ cup kalamata olives, rinsed and halved
• English cucumber, chopped in quarter moons
• 2-oz feta, in brine**
• 1/3 cup sliced peperoncini peppers, reserve juice
• 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed***

Dressing:

• 5 tablespoons peperoncini juice
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon basil paste
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in boiling water per package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Slice tomatoes and olives in halves and place in a large bowl.
3. Slice cucumber in half lengthwise, then quarters lengthwise, and cut into half-inch wide slices. Add to the bowl.
4. Drain feta and cube into ½ inch chunks. Add to the bowl.** Add pasta and the drained, rinsed chickpeas.
5. Add pepperoncini to the pasta mixture and measure out 5 tablespoons of the juice into a smaller bowl.
6. Add remaining dressing ingredients to pepperoncini juice and whisk until dressing appears creamy.
7. Pour dressing over the pasta and vegetables and mix with a large spoon until everything is well coated with the dressing.
8. This can be served right away, or store it covered in the refrigerator. When stored, the dressing will settle in the bottom of the bowl. Just stir the pasta salad to re-coat it with the dressing before serving.

* Sub any gluten-free pasta; follow package directions for al-dente and rinse immediately to prevent a mushy texture

** If using crumbled feta, sprinkle on each serving when ready to eat, to prevent it dissolving into the dressing when stored.

***For a heartier option, use a reduced sodium 6-oz hard salami or summer sausage, cut into quarter moons.