Easy Summer Orzo Salad

This weekend we went to our friends in the Logan Circle area for some dinner and drinks on their rooftop.  It was a gorgeous day so I decided I'd bring a refreshing summer salad along. Below is the recipe for a very light, refreshing orzo salad with artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers.  Try it out for yourself and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 small box of orzo

2 small jars of marinated artichoke hearts

1 jar of roasted red peppers

crumbled feta (approx. 1/2 container- but however much you like)

1/2 bag of baby spinach leaves

2 lemons

red wine vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

salt

pepper

Boil the orzo in a pot of water for approximately 7 minutes.  Drain immediately and rinse with cold water. Put the orzo in a mixing bowl and drizzle with some olive oil (about 2 Tablespoons to start- but eyeball it).  Also drizzle in about 2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar and the juice of 2 lemons (be careful not to get the seeds in).

Slice the roasted red peppers and add to the orzo.  Drain the marinated artichoke hearts and add to the salad along with a handful of the baby spinach leaves and crumbled feta.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate and you're done.

Remember to bring along some extra virgin olive oil with you if you're taking the salad somewhere.  The orzo is likely to soak it up and you may need a little more to keep it from being too dry.