Garden Pasta Recipe

It is Monday again which means it is time for a Meatless Monday recipe. I know some of you may be thinking “what is Meatless Monday?” or “why would I not want to eat meat on Monday’s?” Meatless Monday is a movement to remove meat from the average American’s diet one day a week.
Why you ask would you want to do that, especially if you are not a vegetarian and think not eating meat sounds crazy? There are several reasons to cutting down on the amount of meat you are consuming.

• First it is healthier! By cutting back on meat you will reduce your risk of chronic, preventable conditions like, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity according to the Monday Campaign.
• It’s cheaper! – Meat and Dairy are one of the most expensive items you purchase when grocery shopping.
• It is easier! Yes, I said easier. I found a lot of my time preparing dinner every night was spent on defrosting, cutting and cooking the meat. My meatless meals are prepared in much less time.
• Meatless is also a greener choice. The meat industry produces nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing our meat consumption also reduces water and fuel consumption.

I chose a recipe that is light and will utilize some of the fresh vegetables you are probably getting plenty of around now from your gardens!
Also, you can use a gluten-free pasta to make this light tasty dish gluten-free and soy cheese to make it dairy free.

If you already had a meal planned for tonight, try this tomorrow night. It’s ok to shake things up and have a Meatless Tuesday too!

Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Serves: 6
Prep: 25min
Cook: 10min
Total: 4hr 35min

Ingredients
• 10 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 summer squash, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh basil, thinly sliced, plus extra basil for garnish
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 package (1 pound) angel hair pasta (gluten free pasta can be substituted)
• 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated (soy cheese can be substituted)

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, summer squash, onion, basil, vinegar, oil, garlic, and sugar.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours.
3. When the sauce is ready, cook the pasta according to the package directions, and drain.
4. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, and cover with the sauce and cheese.
5. Gently toss to mix well.

Recipe courtesy of Rodale Healthy Recipes & Options 4 Life