Pasta Salad with Vegan Feta Recipe

The sun is coming out and it's finally starting to get warmer! That means I'll be spending an increasing amount of time outdoors with the fur children and friends. Summer fun of course means delicious summer food! Most people have burgers and beers in mind when they think of summer food, but I think of vibrant and colorful veggies and fruits. And let's face it, if you want to keep up with your summer fitness goals your probably better off with veggies than that beer! But don't worry eating veggies can be both healthy, fun and tasty. Case and point: this pasta salad. I mean holy chow this is one of the easiest recipes ever, and you will be blown away by how similar this tofu feta is to the real thing. The best part about this recipe is that it makes a ton of food, so it's the perfect dish for those big family gatherings and is sure to please burger lovers and veggie fanatics alike.

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne
1 cucumber chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 large tomato chopped
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can of black olive
Feta
Half of a block of extra firm silken tofu, drained and pressed for at least 1 hour
1/4 cup olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika

Instructions
1. Cook your pasta according to packet directions then set aside to let it cool.
2. Whisk all of your feta ingredients except the tofu into a medium sized bowl until throughly combined. Crumble your feta block into the marinade and toss. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. In a large bowl toss together your pasta, veggies, and tofu feta (including the marinade). Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.