Recipe of the week: Cherry Tomato Orzo Salad

One of my favorite things about summer is making easy, fresh pasta salads. This week's recipe is another delicious one I found on Simply Recipes. The ingredients are easy to find, and prep only takes about twenty minutes. I always double recipes like these so we can eat them for lunch all week long. Enjoy!

Cherry Tomato Orzo Salad 
Ingredients

• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• pinch of salt
• 2 pints tomatoes, chopped
• note: you can chop up any type of tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes are sweet and easy to slice in half so I like to use those
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 large cucumber, chopped
• 2-6 green onions, sliced
• 2 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
• juice of a lemon
• black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the orzo and stir so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Boil uncovered until pasta is firm but cooked all the way through. Strain using a fine mesh sieve so the pasta doesn't go through the holes.
2. Toss the pasta with the olive oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.
3. If desired, add a little balsamic vinegar and cayenne pepper to give it more flavor. For more protein, add chickpeas or another bean.
4. Eat hot or refrigerate for later!

Image credit: Very Culinary