Fruit and Veggie Macaroni Salad

I made this up to use up the extra apples growing on my tree. I wanted a light, slightly sweet, but nutritious macaroni salad that I could grab anytime from the fridge. To up the protein content, use quinoa elbow macaroni, or add diced tofu to the onion/pepper sautee step. Also, the sugar content can easily be reduced as the amount I give provides for quite a sweet tasting salad. You could even replace with something like Stevia crystals for a lower calorie count as well. Enjoy!

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 1  red bell pepper, diced
• 1  small  vidalia onion, diced
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3  medium apples, peeled, cored and diced (tart)
• 1  cup green peas
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  cup light mayonnaise
• 2  tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3  eggs, hard boiled, diced

Directions

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Add olive oil to a skillet and saute the onions and peppers on high for 1 minute (or until edges of onion and peppers just start to brown), then lower the heat to low and allow to cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Place the pasta in a very large bowl and add the onions and peppers, and all of the remaining ingredients, mixing after adding each one to blend them evenly through.
4. Refrigerate, and enjoy!