'More Than Just Pasta' Salad

This pasta salad makes veggies the main dish. With persimmon and chopped kale, it's more than just your average potluck pasta salad.

1 red bell pepper, minced
1 roma tomato, chopped
2 persian cucumber (or 1/2 regular cucumber), chopped
1 carrot, grated
2 kale stalks, chopped
2 persimmon, cubed
3 cups rotini pasta, cooked
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Dressing:
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
1/3 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp vegenaise (optional)
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp vegan sugar (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

1) Chop all veggies and cook pasta.
2) Blend the dressing together till glossy and creamy.
3) Toss the pasta and veggies together with 1/2 of the dressing.
4) Pour second 1/2 of dressing and toss right before serving.

Notes:
I love adding some dried cranberries or sprinkling some ground flax on the top. This was the perfect post-yoga dish.