More Salad Savings

Lowering your August electric bill starts in the kitchen. Turn the oven off and your imagination on with another cool, breezy summer salad idea.
Red, White and Green Summer Salad
This creamy and crunchy summer salad is as tasty as it is colorful. Red grapes, green beans and white fusilli. Toss it together with a little red vinegar and some mayonnaise. Add some sunflower seeds and bacon bits and serve cold.
Here’s your shopping list:
1 lb. thin fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 (8-oz.) package spiral pasta
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 (4-oz) jar of bacon bits
1 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
3 easy steps:
1. Cut green beans in half. Place green beans in microwave-safe dish. Add water. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 minutes per cup, or until cooked. Drain. Place beans in ice water to stop the cooking process.
2. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.
3. Whisk together mayonnaise, sugar and wine vinegar in a mixing bowl; add  green beans, pasta, grapes, onion and sunflower seeds (if desired) stirring to coat. Add salt to taste. Cover and chill 3 hours. Top with bacon bits.
Check back for more energy-saving recipes.