Ornish Diet Pasta Primavera

• 1 pound whole grain spaghetti (whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa)
• 1 cup carrot, peeled and cut julienne
• 1 cup zucchini, cut julienne
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup yellow squash, cut julienne

Blanch vegetables in one quart of boiling salted water (1 teaspoon salt) or steam al dente 1 minute or less, depending on the size of the cut; refresh in iced water and drain.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender. (Check package directions for timing.) Drain well. Mix pasta and vegetables julienne, put in a mold and reheat in microwave or steamer. Serve with sauce. Garnish with broccoli florets. Serves 8.

Tester's note: The Ornish diet requires whole grain pastas. Chef Fullsack recommends quinoa or brown rice pastas as a taste preference to whole wheat pastas. This dish freezes well for individual servings at home or in restaurants. Fullsack freezes the pasta combo in an 8-ounce ceramic cup and freezes the sauce in 2-ounce servings (ice cube trays work well, he says).

To serve with the flourish of a chef, ladle the 2 ounces of heated sauce on plate. Invert cup of pasta on top of sauce. Add the basil leaf for garnish. Fullsack also added a border of balsamic vinegar with blanched garlic slices rolled in parsley.