ORZO AND CHICK PEA SALAD

I made this salad one night for supper after coming home from my pilates class.  The DH and I ate this salad as our meal and enjoyed it.  There were leftovers which will make a great lunch.  I liked the flavour combination of feta cheese, lemon juice, cilantro, tomato and chick peas.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dried orzo pasta

3 cups water

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 - 19 oz can of chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 stalk celery, diced

1 green onion, diced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 orange or red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/8 cup olive oil

pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Boil the water in a medium size pot, add the orzo pasta and reduce heat to medium.  Cook until al dente. About 2 minutesd before the pasta finishes cooking, add the chopped carrots to the pasta pot.  Drain the pasta and carrots in a colander and run cold water over the pasta and carrots to cool it down.  Drain.

In a mixing or large serving bowl, add all of the ingredients except the lemon juice, olive oil and pepper. Stir to combine and then add the oil, lemon juice and pepper.  Stir all of the salad ingredients.  Serves 4.