Lemon Basil Garden Pasta

My husband and I love to plant.  We pack as many plants as we possibly can on our balcony every summer, and we always end up with a jungle of fruits, vegetables and flowers.  We love the idea of growing your own food.  I love to go out there, pick some herbs and vegetables and make dinner with whatever I bring back inside.  Being vegetarian, it’s easy to put together a quick meal with what we grow, from salads to pastas to soups.

I call this pasta my Garden Pasta, simply because you can make it with ingredients that you can find in your own home garden, or a local farmers market.  The burst of flavor from the fresh basil and lemon is like sunshine on a hot summer day!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of pasta (such as rotini or penne)
• 8 plum tomatoes, halved
• 6 leaves of basil, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions:

In a large pot, boil the pasta.  Once the pasta is done, drain, and pour into a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.  Toss to combine all the ingredients.

Sprinkle the shredded parmesan on top, and enjoy!

Makes 4 servings.