Lick the bowl good!!

I do very much want to eat healthy, and may I say, I've avoided the doughnuts and donuts 2 days in a row thank you very much! Tonight after work, I wanted something fresh and delicious. After spending all day looking at other people's food blogs, I realized I had most of the ingredients for a pasta salad that is on Smitten Kitchen's blog. Holy guacamole this is so freaking good! I adapted it to what I had in the fridge. This one is definitely a keeper!

Veggie and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad

1 pound of small pasta

3/4 cup chopped bell pepper - yellow and red

3/4 cup chopped asparagus

3/4 to 1 cup Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette (the bestest part of the whole salad!)

Cook the pasta according to package directions. When the pasta was nearly cooked, I threw in the veggies for about 2 minutes, and drained it all together. Let cool, then toss in a large bowl with the vinaigrette and season to taste. (Let cool is in the original directions. Hungry lady here did not wait)

Roasted Red Peppper Vinaigrette - (Heavenly!!)

1 red bell pepper, roasted, skinned, and seeded or the equivalent from a jar, drained

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp shallot

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp salt

several grinds of black pepper

Puree the red bell pepper in a food processor or blender as much as possible, then add the remaining ingredients and run the machine until the dressing is silky smooth.

(Whenever I hear silky smooth I think of Adam Sandler in Billy Madison - Shampoo is better! I go on first and clean the hair! Conditioner is better! I make the hair silky and smooooth!)

Enjoy these original photographs of this divine semi-mostly stolen recipe:

I think I'll go watch Billy Madison now...