Happy Summer!

We have been caught up in other things lately and have neglected the blog a bit First was school and all of its stresses, then my graduation, then Josh and I spent 3 weeks in Europe..where we got engaged!!!

Josh proposed in Paris in a garden beside one of the oldest churches in the city. It was a gorgeous little park with one of the best views of the Notre Dame. Talk about romantic! We’ve set the date for October 2, 2010 (which is also our 8 year anniversary!)

So needless to say we’ve been a little preoccupied, but we have still made time to cook! Last night I made this delicious pasta called a BLT pasta salad. I found the recipe on Food Network and then tweaked it a bit to make it more yummy. The combination of the crispy fakin’ bacon, fresh tomatoes, and lettuce mixed in with the noodles in a Vegenaise dressing makes it taste like that perfect BLT sandwich that Josh and I both love.  It’s super easy to make and it’s perfect for any summer barbeque or picnic! 

This recipe serves 2-3 as a side dish, so if you’re making it for a larger crowd I would just double it or even triple it.

 

6 ounces rotini pasta

4 slices fakin’ bacon

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (we use Vegenaise)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vinegar

1-2 small fresh tomatoes, chopped (we used red and yellow Roma style tomatoes from our garden!)

1 cup green leaf or romaine lettuce, chopped

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste (we used about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)

 

Cook pasta noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile cook the bacon until crispy, set aside. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water, and set in a medium sized bowl. Add the vegan mayo, vegetable oil, and vinegar and stir to combine. Add the tomatoes, lettuce, and parsley. Crumble the bacon into the pasta and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.