SRC - Italian Summer Salad

Time for another Secret Recipe Club reveal!  I love getting my blog assignment each month and this month I was assigned the blog  Miz Helen's Country Cottage.  I was so thrilled to be assigned Helen's blog.  I have been reading her blog for a long time now, have contributed to her full plate Thursday link ups and she always leaves sweet comments every reveal day.  

As always my first stop was the dessert recipes and it didn't take me long to decide on the lemon cheesecake.  I sent Randal the link and fully expecting my sugar addict husband to be all for it and I was truly stunned that his response was "looks great, but how about this Italian summer salad".  I think I read his email 3 times just to make sure my husband was suggesting a salad over a cheesecake!  He has decided to try and eat more healthy and I want to support that idea.

Because it is just the two of us and the recipe makes quite a lot, I decided to halve the entire recipe.  It still made a lot and we had it several times over a few days.   It has a fresh and vibrant taste with lots and lots of vegetables, although I did leave out the yellow squash and olives.   We enjoyed it very much!

Salad: 

8 oz pasta, any variety

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 English cucumber, chopped

1 courgette, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp dried basil
3/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp  sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

 

To make the dressing,  combine the olive oil, vinegar and spices in a small bowl.  Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the chopped vegetables and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper.  Pour the dressing over the vegetables and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and let cool.

Combine the cooled pasta with the vegetables, add in the mozzarella cheese, mix together and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

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