A smorgasbord of salads

Over Labor Day Weekend, which was also the weekend before my birthday, we went sailing with some friends.  Everyone was supposed to bring some food to share with the rest of the boat, so of course I made a variety of salads, and brought chips and salsa, and carrots and hummus. 

Salad 1:  
Citrus Soy Quinoa Salad.  In case you forgot, I made this just a few weeks ago for my book club.  It is so delicious I wanted to make it again.  Even The Husband likes this salad, and he normally isn't a fan of anything with the words "quinoa" or "cous cous" in them.  (Although, I am pretty sneaky with quinoa pasta... but that's another story for another time.)  Click here for the original post and recipe for this yummy quinoa salad.

Salad 2:
Star Pasta Salad.  I've also made a version of this before, and it's very similar to Israeli cous cous salad but with star pasta instead of the cous cous.

Ingredients:
1 package Goya star pasta cooked according to package
1 tablespoon vegenaise
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced green olives
1/2 can artichoke hearts, quartered
2 teaspoons lemon/pepper seasoning
Salt to taste

Cook the pasta first, drain and then mix all the ingredients together with the pasta.  Let it chill overnight and taste the next day.  Add any additional seasonings as needed.  I think I added a little bit more salt. 

Salad 3:  
Tri-Color Italian Pasta Salad.  Another classic salad, perfect for a vegan picnic.  You can really make this however you like, but this is my favorite way.

Ingredients:
1 package tri-color pasta
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup peppercini peppers, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup Tuscan Italian dressing (Trader Joes)
2 tablespoons Goddess dressing
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together and enjoy!

These salads really make a filling meal on their own or are great additions to any picnic or potluck.  The added bonus is that you get leftovers for lunches during the week too!