Easy Pesto Pasta Salad with Olives and Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients

• 12 oz. Dreamfields or whole wheat Rotini pasta
• 1 can black olives, drained well, then cut in half
• 12 oz. jar roasted red bell pepper, drained well and diced
• 1/3 cup vinaigrette dressing
• 1/3 cup pesto
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Add water to a medium-sized pot until it is half full, season it generously with salt, and bring it up to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook for 9 minutes, or follow the package timing if you are using whole wheat pasta.
2. Drain the pasta thoroughly, then set it aside to cool for 10 minutes while you get the remaining ingredients ready.
3. Tip the olives into a colander and drain them very well, then slice them in half.
4. Add the red bell peppers to the colander, let them drain well, and chop them into small pieces.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the vinaigrette dressing with the pesto until smooth.
6. Once the pasta has cooled, toss it with just enough dressing to lightly cover it. You may not use all of it now, so hold onto the extra in case the salad needs more moisture after chilling.
7. Fold in the olives and roasted red pepper gently, just until everything is mixed. Cover the salad with plastic wrap or a lid, then refrigerate it for 1-3 hours.
8. Before serving, take the salad out of the refrigerator and mix in 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, adding more dressing if it needs loosening. Serve it slightly chilled or at room temperature.