Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil in a large pot over low-medium heat.  (Mine is an 8-quart pot.)

Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook on low heat.  It will seem like there's not enough oil to cook the additional veggies, but after a few minutes, they will release their juices, and it works out great.

Add the fresh basil (chopped).  I made this frugal by buying a little basil plant to keep in my window.  It's an organic plant and cost only $2.50.  It will keep producing all spring and summer -- a good 5 - 6 months -- as long as I water it daily.  Removing the few leaves needed for this dish was nothing; tons are still on there!  I highly recommend this purchase if you like fresh basil like I do.  Those little boxes of "fresh" herbs are way too expensive.

Add the tomatoes and other spices.

Let this sauce cook for 5 - 10 minutes until the veggies are softened.  If you're pressed for time, you could actually skip this step.

Add the water and bring it back to a boil.  If you want more flavor, you could choose vegetable or chicken stock (which I might try next time).  This adds a bit of cost, but if you make your own chicken stock with the bones from a whole chicken, it's practically free and adds a good amount of extra nutrition.  Then, add the pasta broken in half.

Allow this to cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is done.  That's it!  You have a beautiful pot of pasta.