Vegan

tra spices and lemon juice if desired.

Red Harvest Veggie Pasta

For a healthier pasta with more texture, I sometimes use lentil pasta as it pairs well with thicker veggies and sauce.

This recipe makes two or three servings.

• 1medium tomato, diced

• ½ summer squash, diced

• ½ zucchini, diced

• ½ white or yellow onion, diced

• 2cloves garlic

• ½ cup tomato sauce

• 1cup red or yellow lentil pasta

• Basil to taste

• Oregano to taste

• 1bay leaf

Start boiling water for pasta.

Heat a teaspoon of oil in pan on medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, zucchini and squash.

Slowly add diced tomatoes.

Slowly stir in tomato sauce as vegetables cook.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente — lentil pastamay take longer to soften.

Start seasoning veggie sauce with basil and oregano to taste and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for five minutes, stirring often. Serve pasta with veggies and sauce promptly.

Restaurant recommendations

Keep cooling off with some locally- owned, vegan-friendly cold treats this hot week!

• La Flor De Michoacan (668Mangrove Ave., 1008 West Sacramento Ave. and 1354East Ave. C) is offering at least five water-based and fruit ice cream and bar flavors for dairy-free treats. Staff ask for masks to be worn and customers to distance themselves in line and to limit capacity in all three locations.

• Live Life Juice Company at 220Broadway is offering new flavors of “Swerve” soft-serve including a new coffee flavor.

• OM Foods at 142Broadway now offers a delicious dragonfruit flavor on their smoothie menu — it is both colorful and delicious. They have switched to to- go orders only for the majority of the month of July.