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California Pasta Salad Recipe

California Pasta Salad Recipe

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Ingredients:

Serving

1 (16 oz) package rotini pasta (spiral pasta)
2 small zucchini, ends removed, chopped
1 large cucumber, ends removed, seeded, chopped
2 medium bell peppers, stems removed, seeded, chopped
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
1 (10 oz) can black olives, drained well and chopped (optional(kids don'tsp like
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, partially drained
1/3 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp whole celery seed
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 (16 oz) bottle italian salad dressing (we prefer kraft zesty italian)

Directions:

Boil rotini. (Package directions will indicate 8-10 minutes. My family thinks 'al dente' translates to 'raw', so I cook the pasta 4 or 5 minutes longer, until it tastes tender.).
Drain pasta; rinse well with cold water.
In a very, very large bowl, mix cooled pasta with zucchini, cucumber, sweet peppers, onion and olives, if desired.
Stir in tomatoes. (I use a slotted spoon. That way, you get a little juice, but not an overwhelming amount. If fresh ones are in season, even better, of course!)
In a small bowl, mix grated cheese with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, celery seeds, paprika and garlic powder.
Sprinkle seasoning mixture over pasta; stir well.
Pour Italian dressing over all, stirring well.
Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. (Actually, I find this hits its' 'peak' at 48 hours. Stays good for several days after that, but finally begins to get mushy.).

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Nutrition Facts

Per Serving Per 100 g

Amount Per 1 Serving
Calories	24.61 Kcal (103 kJ)
Calories from fat	10.45 Kcal
		% Daily Value*
Total Fat	1.16g	2%
Cholesterol	1.54mg	1%
Sodium	49.14mg	2%
Potassium	64.03mg	1%
Total Carbs	2.45g	1%
Sugars	1.06g	4%
Dietary Fiber	0.68g	3%
Protein	1.12g	2%
Vitamin C	13.4mg	22%
Vitamin A	0.3mg	10%
Iron	6.8mg	38%
Calcium	33.4mg	3%

Amount Per 100 g
Calories	53.9 Kcal (226 kJ)
Calories from fat	22.88 Kcal
		% Daily Value*
Total Fat	2.54g	2%
Cholesterol	3.37mg	1%
Sodium	107.64mg	2%
Potassium	140.24mg	1%
Total Carbs	5.36g	1%
Sugars	2.33g	4%
Dietary Fiber	1.49g	3%
Protein	2.46g	2%
Vitamin C	29.3mg	22%
Vitamin A	0.7mg	10%
Iron	14.9mg	38%
Calcium	73.2mg	3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Find out how many calories should you eat.

Tastes

salty
savory
bitter
sweet

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