Lentil Mint Salad

1 1/4 C lentils, rinsed and picked over.
half a yellow pepper, cubed
five radishes, sliced (can be left out)
1/3 C minced mint
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
half a cup of crumbled feta
half a cup of oil
3 T lemon juice
1/3 C minced kalamata olives (can be left out)
salt and pepper

Boil the lentils in plenty of water for 20 minutes. Drain.

Mix everything in a bowl. In the original recipe, you're supposed to saute the yellow pepper in oil first. I have never done this because I prefer to eat things raw if possible and also, who wants to turn on another burner for a summer dish?

Serve room temperature with rye bread and maybe some La Tur. Mmmm.

Serves 6?

Pasta Arrabiata

Okay, it's easy to make this into a vegan pasta dish. I just learned about it this morning and it meets all my insane demands: It's super simple, has a complicated flavor and feels like someone's gramma made it, all at the same time. It means angry pasta, and there are a ton of recipes out there that are excellent, but tonight I made a version consolidated from this Pasta Arrabiata and this Pasta Arrabiata which looks like it requires that you baby the frying garlic cloves and an entire bundle of fresh basil.

1 box Penne Regate De Cecco brand
olive oil
1 box Pomo tomato pieces
1 bay leaf
6-10 slugs of Red Hot (I know, this is not Italian; I couldn't find a red chili in the fancy bodega).
1 t crushed italian seasoning
6 minced garlic cloves
1 t lemon juice, fresh
1 t sugar
salt and pepper

Boil the pasta in salted water. Really salted. Not too salted. Oh, you know. Salted.

While that's happening, get the oil really hot in the bottom of the pan, enough to cover about a hands breadth. Simmer the garlic on medium for a minute, then add the tomatoes, the bay leaf, spices, Red Hot, lemon, sugar, salt and pepper. Put in the pasta when it's truly al dente, then let it soak in the sauce for about 5 minutes. Pick out the bay leaf. Serve with parmesan, or fake parmesan if that's your style. Top with fresh basil. (I did not have fresh basil (all sold out at the fancy bodega) and I lived. Also, no real red chili with the seeds scraped out; Red Hot makes everything better).

I think the second recipe calls for you to gently fry an entire bundle of basil and then stick it back in the sauce towards the end. That has got to be summery and amazing and more distracting flavor-wise.