Balsamic Pasta

Every Monday I get out my cookbooks and get my inspiration (and my recipes) for the week. This week I found plenty in one cookbook, "That's Trump", by Best of Bridge. This is the cookbook in the series with fat-reduced recipes, and although I love the recipes from all the Best of Bridge  cookbooks, I do appreciate the health-consciousness of this particular volume. This recipe was a hit with the fam, and you could easily add chicken or tuna to it for some extra protein punch.

Pasta:

2 c. uncooked rotini or fusilli

1 each red, orange and green pepper, sliced in strips

1 med. red onion, thinly sliced

3 carrots, sliced diagonally

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 14 oz. jar of marinated artichokes, drained, reserve oil

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, stir-fry veggies and garlic in oil. Add drained artichokes and fold into cooked pasta.

Dressing:

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil or 1 Tbsp. dried

1/3 c. lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. capers

1/2 t. nutmeg

1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

oil from marinated artichokes

In a  blender, combine all dressing ingredients. Toss with cooked pasta and serve. Store any leftover dressing in the fridge.