Southwestern Tortellini Salad

Well, summer is here, and in my house, that means its lots of kid foods. Now don’t get me wrong I will happily eat a hotdog or two with my kids, but there comes a point when you need to just have something in the fridge that the kids might eat but you will definitely eat. 

My go-to favorite is some sort of cold tortellini salad. The best thing about this Southwestern Tortellini salad is how fast it comes together. Now if you are one of those unlucky souls that can’t stand cilantro you can use parsley or omit it completely. This will last in the fridge awhile but make sure you stir it up so you redistribute the dressing.

Ingredients:

• 20 oz package Cheese Tortellini

• 1 Can black beans rinsed and drained

• 1 Can of yellow or white corn drained and rinsed

• 20 Cherry tomatos sliced in half

• 1/3 bunch Cilantro finely chopped

•  1/2 of a medium purple onion finely chopped

• 1/2 cup bell pepper or sweet pepper diced

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 limes zest & juice

• 1 packet taco seasoning or fajita seasoning your choice

• 1/4 cup water

• Salt & Pepper

• *optional large avacados diced and set aside

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add tortellini to water and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. 
2. In a large bowl add black beans, corn, bell peppers or sweet peppers, 1/2 of the chopped cilantro, tomatoes, and onions. Then set aside.
3. To make dressing grab a small bowl or jar add the juice and zest of limes, taco or fajita seasoning, remaining half of cilantro, cold water, and olive oil. Mix then pour over ingredients in a large bowl and toss. (You can add more water, olive oil, and lime to taste)
4. After mixing you can serve right away or put it in the fridge till you are ready to eat.

Serving Suggestions:

• Top with diced avacado. This will ad a creamy texture. If you mix avacado in the big bowl it will brown.
• Want a crunch add some fried tortilla strips.
• Need more cheese add some mild cheddar.