A fresh yummy summer dish

In honor of the first day of summer, I wanted to give you guys one of my favorite quick, easy, summer favorites!   It is fast and you can make tons of substitutions based on your preferences (and what's fresh at your local farm/farmer's market):

1 bell pepper (I prefer red due to high vitamin C content) diced
3 scallions diced
1/4 red onion diced
2-3 carrots (either diced or shredded)
3 celery stalks diced
1/2 cucumber (skin on) diced
12 snap peas (snapped)
1/2 zucchini diced
1/2 yellow squash diced
1 box high protein high fiber pasta ( I like the Barilla penne)
Either organic grass-fed chicken or ahi tuna (marinate in a soy/olive oil marinade) then grill.

Dressing:
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
a couple of tablespoons sesame seeds (I like to toast on the stove top stirring frequently until lightly browned)
1/2 teaspoon  granulated garlic (or a half clove fresh garlic diced finely)
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dice all veggies, cook pasta as directed on the box (I leave out the salt and add a bit of olive oil to the water to prevent sticking), drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to prevent further cooking.  While pasta is cooking, grill tuna or chicken.  Once all is cooked/diced/ready to go ( I chop chicken into small bites and ahi tuna I usually slice and put atop the bed of pasta/veg).  Mix together the dressing ingredients, and toss into the protein/pasta/veg mixture.

This dish is soo easy, really healthy, and you can change it however you want...I usually make my own marinades and dressings and change them every time.  But, it is filled with vitamins, proteins, fiber, and low calorie too!  I serve it cold, so it is great on a hot day and it keeps for a couple of days so you can have healthy lunches/dinners pre-made!!

I hope that you all enjoy and make it your own :)

Yours in Good Health

B