Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Okay..where did November go?
Does anyone know?
COME BACK FALL!Please?

The end of November and rapid coming of December means Eric and I go into over drive to get things done before our trip, and before we move out in 20 days. (But let's be honest, I'm SUPER planner, so we are WAY ahead of schedule. And that's the way it should be.)
This morning was filled with walking around Ballard running errands, which included paying our LAST rent for this apartment.
Leaving this apartment will be bittersweet. But mostly sweet.
We've thought about leaving this apartment for a loong time now.. with it's microscopic kitchen with absolutely NO counter space and had a VERY infuriating ant INVASION, a bathroom that literally just consists of a toilet, standing sink and shower, a bedroom that now has water stains all over the walls and a ceiling that looks like it might come crashing in at any given moment. Why would we want to leave?
Oh did I mention the mold problem? Funny story. We love mold..
Our first few months of living here, we couldn't afford a bed, so we slept on an air mattress. One day I lifted up the blankets and sheets to find our air mattress was completely covered in black mold. Yes, that was our life and a fun day.
But I must say, our apartment has come a long way since then. We've managed and definitely made it bearable. And if anything, we've come away with lots of funny, great stories to look back on from our very first place together. You live and you learn, right?
In between our day of trying to cross things off our never ending pre-travel list, we walked down to Ballard's adorable old theater and saw The Muppets. As big Jason Segel fans, it was a must-see. It was SUPER cute and had lots of funny parts - even for adults.
Before the movie, I whipped me and Eric up a Mediterranean orzo salad.


The flavors are so strong and delicious, it doesn't even need a lot of dressing! I just used a bit of the marinade from the artichokes and some fresh squeezed lemon and that's it!
This recipe made the perfect light lunch.
It could also be a great starter to a healthy dinner. Maybe add some salmon? Or grilled chicken? Or Shrimp? The possibilities are endless!
It's so YUM!

Mediterranean Orzo Salad
(adapted from Cooking Light, June 2005)

1 cup uncooked orzo
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
about 3/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (10.5oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese feta cheese, crumbled

Cook the orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; and let cool down. Once cooled, combine orzo, spinach, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
Drain artichokes, reserving marinade. Coarsely chop artichokes, and add artichokes, reserved marinade, and feta cheese to orzo mixture, tossing gently to coat. Enjoy!