VeganMoFo: Orzo Con Confetti (AKA Orzo Salad)

If you're anything like me (and I know I am), you find it almost impossible to watch shows like "The Sopranos" without being overcome by the sudden urge to inhale a huge batch of pasta. 

"If we're outta nooch, someone's gettin' whacked."

Somehow, no matter how disgusting Tony Soprano might be, when he eats, my stomach listens.      

In fact, this type of thing happens so often that CH was hardly surprised when I recently paused "The Godfather" at an inopportune moment and sprinted into the kitchen to whip up some pasta. 

(Never mind that there are no less than 61 scenes in "The Godfather" featuring people eating/drinking. I apparently can't blame Brando for my indiscretions.)

What did surprise CH, however, was when I came back into the living room carrying a colorful, healthy-looking bowl of orzo salad, instead of a heaping plate of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. You see, this whole routine has kinda become our thing. 

Luckily, since orzo is a type of pasta (although I think of it more like rice), no harm, no foul. Also, its short, squatty shape makes orzo super-easy to shovel directly into your mouth while watching, say, Italians eat Italian food.

Can't say the same for spaghetti...

Note: To make your own Orzo Con Confetti, simply cook 1 package of orzo until al dente. Then, rinse it under cool water and allow it to drain thoroughly. 

Next, pour the orzo into a large bowl, and toss in some sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, chopped yellow bell peppers, and julianned spinach. 

Then, stir in a homemade vinaigrette (I prefer red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil here), and sprinkle liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Finally, add a few generous shakes of your favorite herbs/spices - I love using a rosemary + garlic blend that I found at a specialty store - and dig in.

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