Summer in a Blender

No-Cook Pasta Sauce

2 large garlic cloves, chopped or pressed
1/4 cup coarsely choppped red onion
1 cup fresh basil leaves
6 large, ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
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1 lb. pasta
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plenty of fresh-grated parmesan cheese

Put on some water for the pasta, and while it's coming to a boil, you can make the sauce.

Put the tomatoes, basil, garlic, and onions in a blender or food processor. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. That's it--this sauce is served at room temperature.

Once your pasta is cooked, drain it and toss, while still very hot, in a large serving bowl with enough sauce to coat the pasta well. Put remaining sauce out, along with the grated parmesan, so diners can add more if they'd like. Serve immediately!

Health Benefits

Delicious, easy food can be amazingly healthy. Here's what your body gets with this no-cook pasta sauce:

Tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which may help prevent many types of cancer.

Basil has natural antibacterial properties and cell-protecting flavonoids.

Onion can help lower blood sugar and fight heart disease, colon cancer and other serious ailments.

Garlic is a well-known nutritional superstar that helps protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers. (Did you know the ancient Greeks used to feed it to athletes before they competed in the Olympic Games?)

Olive oil can help lower "bad" cholesterol levels, decreasing the risk of heart disease.