#1,527: Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad

Since I use my grill very frequently over the summer and love grilled veggies, this recipe was really calling to me.  It was pretty easy to throw together and I had everything done in just under 30 minutes.  I LOVED this dish, and ate a whole lot of it for dinner.  I did cut down on the orzo so there wasn't as many carbs, and I also didn't use nearly as much of the dressing, but the grilled veggies are definitely the star of the show anyways.  This was SO good. 

1-1/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium sweet yellow or red pepper, halved
1 large portobello mushroom, stem removed
1/2 medium red onion, halved

DRESSING:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

SALAD:

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (I omitted only because I was out.  Next time I will add them in!)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Cook orzo according to package directions. Place vegetables in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients. Add to vegetables and toss to coat.

Remove vegetables, reserving dressing. Grill mushroom, pepper and onion, covered, over medium heat 5-10 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Grill asparagus and zucchini, covered, 3-4 minutes or until desired doneness, turning occasionally.

When cool enough to handle, cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, combine cooked orzo, grilled vegetables, tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and reserved dressing; toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until cold. Just before serving, stir in cheese.