Living Lean & Green; How To Cook Green and Healthy For $10 or Less - Tomato Basil Pasta
Posted Oct 04 2010 5:44am
Basil is an Italian staple and one of the herbs known for its medicinal qualities. This season I grew the Mediterranean variety of the herb, Purple Basil, in my front lawn vegetable garden. In the photo you see me picking the basil late in the season after the color - and flavor - became milder.
One of the reasons I choose to grow basil; it is remarkably drought tolerant, therefore a very sustainable herb to have in your garden.
GREEN TIP: The more drought tolerant a plant, the less you
have to water.
This season I used the front lawn rain water cistern to water the herbs and vegetables I planted in my front
lawn. Mulching the garden enhances its water-saving potential. Rarely watering
the basil still produced a remarkably flavor crop.
In the video above you see Centered Chef Ryan Hutmacher with me in my front
lawn demonstrating how to cook the recipe below - an amazing and delicious
Tomato Basil Pasta using fresh tomatoes and the yummy fresh basil from my
very own garden.
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil in order to cook pasta. Pre-cook pasta to
make preparation even easier.
2. To prepare sauce - combine tomatoes, garlic and basil leaves. Drizzle with
olive oil. Add half the parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Set aside.
3. Prepare pasta according to package directions. When completely cooked,
drain. Place hot pasta atop tomato mixture and toss - it will cook slightly
during the toss process.
4. Drizzle lemon juice. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve immediately.
Servings: 4
-- Burpee Home Gardens
supplied the vegetables grown in the garden this season. I write many
instructional stories and videos with their incredible vegetable
products and donate a large portion of the vegetables to the local food
pantry when harvested.
-- Organic Mechanics Soil supplied the worm castings for the garden areas which were not crop-rotated this season.
-- Aquascape, Inc. supplied the rain water cistern for easier watering of the vegetable garden.
Basil is an Italian staple and one of the herbs known for its medicinal qualities. This season I grew the Mediterranean variety of the herb, Purple Basil, in my front lawn vegetable garden. In the photo you see me picking the basil late in the season after the color - and flavor - became milder.
One of the reasons I choose to grow basil; it is remarkably drought tolerant, therefore a very sustainable herb to have in your garden.
GREEN TIP: The more drought tolerant a plant, the less you have to water.
This season I used the front lawn rain water cistern to water the herbs and vegetables I planted in my front lawn. Mulching the garden enhances its water-saving potential. Rarely watering the basil still produced a remarkably flavor crop.
In the video above you see Centered Chef Ryan Hutmacher with me in my front lawn demonstrating how to cook the recipe below - an amazing and delicious Tomato Basil Pasta using fresh tomatoes and the yummy fresh basil from my very own garden.
Today's Tomato Basil Pasta recipe also features tomatoes I grew myself. Please link to instructions here on - HOW TO PLANT A TOMATO - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com/2009/05/2009-get-it-garden-challenge-how-to_20.html .
-- Burpee Home Gardens supplied the vegetables grown in the garden this season. I write many instructional stories and videos with their incredible vegetable products and donate a large portion of the vegetables to the local food pantry when harvested.
-- Organic Mechanics Soil supplied the worm castings for the garden areas which were not crop-rotated this season.
-- Aquascape, Inc. supplied the rain water cistern for easier watering of the vegetable garden.