Twirled Pasta Salad

A light dinner entree with excellent flavor.

• Ready In: 22 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) bag  three-vegetable garden-style twirl pasta
• 2  ounces  shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
• 1  large cucumber, peeled, sliced, and quartered
• 1  large fresh tomato, peeled, and diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can  red beans
•  fat-free Italian salad dressing
•  tony chachere's  cajun seasoning
•  garlic powder
• 4  ounces  cooked salmon (optional) or 4  ounces  packaged  crabmeat (optional)

Directions

1. Cook pasta for twelve minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and place in refrigerator for at least 45 minutes (the more chilled the pasta, the better this one turns out it seems).
2. After pasta has chilled, remove from regfrigerator and place into a large bowl (one with a lid works well for tossing). Add a fine layer of garlic powder, a fine layer of the Cajun Seasoning, a layer of Italian dressing, the cucumbers, tomato and a layer of cheese and toss or mix well. Add the can of beans, another layer of Italian dressing, garlic powder and Cajun seasoning, another layer of cheese. Mix well again. Taste -- it is very possible to overdo the Cajun seasoning and garlic powder, so remember -- fine layers.