Creating High-Protein Italian Pasta Salad can be straightforward if you follow these simple steps:

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add whole wheat pasta, and cook according to package instructions. Drain and cool.
2. Prepare Vegetables: While the pasta cooks, prepare the veggies. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell pepper, and finely chop the red onion.
3. Rinse Chickpeas: Drain and rinse the chickpeas to remove excess sodium.
4. Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, black olives, red onion, mozzarella cheese, and parsley.
5. Make the Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
6. Mix and Chill: Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss until everything is well coated. Chill in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes before serving.
7. Taste and Adjust: After chilling, taste the salad and adjust seasoning if necessary. You can add more salt, pepper, or dressing as needed.

These steps will guide you in creating this amazing pasta salad effortlessly.