birthday picnic

last night we had the harts over to celebrate our july and august birthdays. we had originally planned for a dinner picnic, but due to the constant rain on saturday, we decided to take our picnic inside. we snacked on hummus, bean and corn dip, and honey greek yogurt with berries.

for the main dish, i tried a new pasta salad recipe. now, when it comes to picnic-y foods, i usually struggle with pasta salads, potato salads, chicken salads, etc. because i am not a huge mayo fan. i also was looking for something light and healthy. so, when i found the zucchini and almond pasta salad on smitten kitchen's website, i was excited. healthy, easy, and didn't break the bank. the three requirements that i strive to reach with every recipe. i made a few adjustments and i was very pleased with the results!

ingredients:

• box of whole wheat rotini
• 3 zucchinis
• small package of sliced almonds {about 1/2 cup}
• 3 chicken breasts
• 1/2 TB basil
• parmesan cheese
• 5 TB extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper

what i did:

1. cook pasta according to package, drain, and let cool.
2. slice zucchinis thinly and cook down for about 5 minutes in a skillet with some olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
3. toast almonds on a baking sheet in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes at 300 degrees
4. cube chicken breasts and cook in skillet. season with basil, salt, and pepper
5. in a large bowl, combine pasta, zucchinis, almonds, and chicken.
6. in a separate bowl, combine 5 TB of olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, and pepper to taste. whisk together.
7. pour dressing into the large bowl and toss.
8. add parmesan cheese shavings and salt and pepper to taste.
9. chill in refrigerator until ready to be enjoyed!