One Sexy Supper

This is for all those people in my life who've asked, "So you're vegan, but what do you eat when you're like, ravenous?" Well, I EAT LOTS, of course! Contrary to popular belief, vegans don't subsist on grapefruit and iceberg lettuce. Duh.

This date-night dinner, Rustic Pasta with AJ's Awesome Garlic Bread, is a perfect example of the unexpected bounty of a vegan diet. It's simple! It's delicious! It's freakin' easy! It's the bomb, baby!

Get a big pot o' water boiling and cook some nice whole-wheat linguine till it's perfectly done (you really really really want to avoid having noodles that are too soft for this one). While it's boiling, prepare:
2 ripe tomatoes, seeds scooped out, sliced prettily
2 good handfuls of fresh basil
3-19 gloves minced garlic (I told you I love garlic!)

Take a moment to savor the visual abundance in front of you. Look at all those colors and textures! And smell that friggin' garlic! Om nom! Set aside these ingredients and put together the garlic bread while you're cooking the noodles (perfectly). You'll need:
4 slices of yummy baguette
Earth Balance Butter Spread
Your previously-minced garlic
dried oregano, basil, and thyme

Turn your on your oven to it's broil setting. Schmear a liberal amount of Earth Balance on each slice, sprinkle on the garlic, and follow up with a dash of oregano, basil, and thyme (feel free to experiment with different herbs). Place the prepared slices on a sheet tray and broil for about 4 minutes, keeping a super duper close eye. You want browned bread, not blackened.

When the noodles are PERFECTLY cooked, drain them and put them directly back into the pot. Add a good dash of yummy olive oil, your prettily cut tomatoes and basil, and a solid pinch of sea salt. Toss it all together gently, and serve with your amazing garlic bread and a lovely glass o' red.