in need of vegetables

as a general rule, we eat farely healthy. i mean i try to have healthy options on hand to aid in making better food decisions. but, don't get me wrong. i like cheeseburgers way more than salads (usually. and especially if it's a 5 guys burger). i'm a frozen pizza junkie (especially when my husband is gone on work trips). dessert should be my middle name.

so, there comes a time every once in a while when my body tells me it needs more vegetables! i mean, who couldn't use a few more vegetables in their life? i'm feeling that way this week, so i decided to make pasta salad. i love pasta salad. it's a salad that is as hearty as i want it to be. i love recipes that you kind of make up, based on what you feel like and what's in your fridge. here's the way i made it this week:

{pasta salad}

1 box rotini (i used the garden vegetable kind, made from tomato, spinach, and carrot-- 4g of fiber per serving!)

1 medium green pepper

1/2 bag of baby carrots

feta cheese (4-6 oz)

1 small head of broccoli

small handful of cilantro

1/2 bottle of light house italian dressing

cook the rotini as directed on the box. dice up all the veggies, suitable to your preference. mix everything together! i like to prepare the salad a few hours to a day in advance to allow blending of the flavors.

sometimes i add cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflower, etc.; i just didn't have those today. you can also add chicken for some extra protein; wasn't feeling that today, either. you could add garbanzo beans or black beans for added fiber and protein, pepperoni and pepper jack for some zing, or a different cheese for variety. see what i mean?-- a great, make-it-your-own meal! i did add the cilantro, because i just happened to have some and i thought it would be an extra serving of health benefits and flavor!

simple, healthy, and lots of leftovers! my favorite kind of meal!