Pasta Salad

Need a quick and easy side worth eating?  My all-time favorite solution.  And the nice thing about using this one is that even Keith can't really tell the difference between using gluten free penne pasta or whole wheat penne, so I can get away with making just one pasta.

Yes, there is a down side.  Brown rice pasta doesn't last long, so be sure not to make more than you think you will eat for one meal.  You could maybe get away with heating it the next day, but after that the tastiness goes down the drain fast.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz. penne or rotini pasta (I used brown rice pasta for obvious reasons and used penne because it's the easiest of brown rice pastas to cook "right" BUT I probably could've made a little less pasta)
• 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered (not necessary if you don't mind them whole- I like them cut down to simple bite sizes)
• 10 black olives, sliced (I would've just used a small 4 oz. can of already sliced olives if I'd had them tucked away in the pantry, or should I say my arsenal?)
• 2 oz. spinach, sauteed in 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1-2 TBSP olive oil (depending on desired oilyness) OR use Basil Oil OR Chive Oil, if already making these for part of the rest of the meal
• 1/2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt (so not necessary, but I do it anyway... Ha!)

OTHER OPTIONS:

• throw in some roasted peppers or sundried tomatoes or any other fresh veggie you find comforting and tasty

DIRECTIONS:

• 1- Cook the pasta.  Strain and throw into a bowl.
• 2- While the pasta is cooking, saute the spinach (and cook any other veggies you've decided to add in that need some cooking)
• 3- Add the tomatoes and olives and sauteed spinach and whatever else you want in the bowl of pasta
• 4- Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic salt, if using.  Stir to coat.
• 5- Send me props for giving out the easiest of my recipes coupled with the easiest of my direction!