4th of July

        Hey guys! I just wanted to wish everyone a fun and safe 4th of July! The 4th of July consists of traditional American BBQs, fireworks and being surrounded by the people we love. As a country we have come really far and I think it is important that we further our inspirations for ourselves and each other. This 4th of July I made some homemade pasta salad. Check out the recipe below if you need something quick to throw together for a BBQ or a simple snack! Happy 4th of July!

Homemade Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

- 1 box of rotini (I usually use whole wheat)

- 1 cup of feta cheese (Any brand)

- 2 bell peppers (Any color)

- 1 cucumber

- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes (I didn't use them this time because they were rotten at the store) 

- 1/2 cup of sun flower seeds (You can use any seeds to your liking)

- 1 can of black olives

Dressing:

- 8 tablespoons olive oil

- 4 - 6 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (Depending how you like the taste)

- 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard

- 1 tablespoon of ground basal

- Salt & pepper to taste

       When I make pasta salad I always cut up all the vegetables first and place them in a large mixing bowl. Then I make the dressing for it. I like to have everything prepared so that when the pasta is done I can just throw everything together. 

         I usually cool the pasta with cold water before I mix everything together. If you do use hot pasta there is a chance you might melt the cheese. You don't have to follow this exact recipe, in fact the more you change it up with different ingredients and vegetables the better. I also recommend that you let the pasta salad sit in the fridge for a few hours before serving. This will allow the dressing to set in. I hope you like this recipe and let me know if you try it!

*I got the firework picture from here.