Bring a large pot of water (about 4 quarts) to a boil and cook pasta per package instructions.

While your noodles cook, chop your veggies and make the dressing.

Whisk all ingredients together and allow to sit. Giving the dressing ingredients some time to mingle will not only infuse flavor into the oil/vinegar but also soften the dry herbs and seasoning.

Boil noodles for around 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, for al dente pasta. To prevent sticking, feel free to add a little bit of oil to the pot. I add a spoonful of my favorite coconut oil and have to refrain from sticking my hand in the pot to eat them prematurely.

Once your noodles are tender and al dente, remove from heat and strain in a colander.

As long as the noodles are hot they'll continue cooking, if you prefer to add the dressing to hot noodles (some say it helps the noodles soak up the flavor) then cook them more on the al-dente side and less tender. If you plan on rinsing your noodles with cold water to halt the cooking process, then you can cook them until they reach your ideal tenderness. Totally a matter of preference! It seems silly to mention it but the last thing I want is for you to end up with mushy noodles, those are about as fun as a bag of wet crayons.

Combine pasta and veggies in a large bowl with your dressing and mix.

Dust the entire bowl with parmesan or feta cheese and dig. on. in.

(see below for make-ahead instructions)