Happy 4th of July to all. It's the official day of grill'n, chill'n and relax'n....We are taking it easy today and enjoying some beautiful sunshine and fresh air. I got a head start on the porch décor and went all out this year. There's no question that this house likes to celebrate!
I know the traditional (my mom in particular) 4th of July includes a macaroni salad. However, this year I wanted to change it up a bit. I made this for one of my recent meal train dinners that I prepared and loved it! It was a hit! It makes a big batch and lasts for a couple days. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Courtesy of Foodiecrush.com
16 ounces orzo
3 cups baby spinach leaves, torn into large pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup cucumber, diced and seeded
1/4 cup red onion
5 ounces Castelvetrano green olives, drained and halved
5 ounces Kalamata pitted olives, drained and halved
7 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1-1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
Bring pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook the orzo for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and set aside to cool.
Transfer the cooled orzo to a large mixing bowl. Add the spinach, chopped vegetables, and olives, then the Feta cheese crumbles over the pasta.
In a small bowl, whisk the canola oil, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper until mixed. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and gently fold until the pasta and veggies are coated. Taste for season.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight before serving. The pasta is best within 2-3 days, but will last in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
