Orange Sesame Salad

I decided to try a new salad tonight and it was great! So refreshing and it had a great flavor! The kids all gobbled it up. The dressing is very mild so if you're looking for something with a little more kick you might want to taste it before you put it on the salad and doctor it up if you need to. To make it a little more hearty you could always add some garbanzo beans.

Orange Sesame Salad

1/2 pound vermicelli (or thin spaghetti), broken in half

1 1/2 cups snow peas, cut in half

1 small yellow summer squash, cut into thin strips

1 small zucchini, cut into thin strips

2/3 cup shredded carrots (I used my favorite Broccoli Cole Slaw mix instead)

1 cup shredded Napa cabbage

3 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted if desired

Orange slices to garnish

Citrus-Sesame Dressing

1/4 c. fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp. honey

4 Tbsp. rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil (this added a GREAT flavor! Found with the oriental foods like soy sauce and teriyaki sauce)

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 c. olive oil (I only added half this amount. I'd probably add a little more orange juice next time to make up the difference.)

-Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse pasta under cold running water and drain again.

-In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, snow peas, summer squash, zucchini, carrots, and cabbage.

-Combine the orange juice, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, and salt in blender and mix well. (Or you could whisk the mixture vigorously by hand.) Add the olive oil and blend.

-Pour dressing over the pasta and vegetables to coat them lightly and toss. Just before serving top the salad with orange sections and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Serves 6-8.