I love eggplant. And I’m a fan of any red sauce that includes, spices, & vegetables so this was a favorite dish of mine. Eggplant fights free radicals & cancer, helps lower high cholesterol, can help improve digestion health, & is a good source of energy promoting B vitamin (just to name a few) . . . so eat up!

For my dinner I used “miracle” noodles which are gluten free & have like 10 calories in them . . . Sean got brown rice pasta per usual!

Ingredients:

-1 lb eggplant, sliced into 1/4″ thick slabs

-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

-Penne pasta

-1 lb cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, & sliced – I used 1/2 yellow squash, 1/2 zucchini, & broccoli instead –

-1 onion, diced

-1 bell pepper, sliced into strips

-3 garlic cloves, minced

-1/2 Cup dry white wine

-1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

-1/2 Cup crushed tomatoes

-2 Tablespoons capers – I did not use –

-1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

-1/2 teaspoon oregano

-Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

-Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub eggplant slabs with about 1 Tablespoon oil & arrange on a baking sheet. Bake until eggplant slabs are lightly browned & tender, but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat & set aside

-While eggplant bakes, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta & cook according to packing directions. Drain into a colander, return to the pot, & toss with a bit of oil. Set aside

-While eggplant bakes & pasta cooks, coast the bottom of a large skillet with 1 Tablespoon oil & place over medium heat. Add mushrooms to skillet in an even layer. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until slightly browned & tender. Remove from skillet & transfer to a plate

-Add remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil to skillet. Add onion & pepper & saute for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add garlic & saute 1 minute more. *This is where I added the squash, zucchini, & broccoli* Add wine & bring to a simmer. Allow to cook until liquid is reduced by about half, 3 – 4 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, capers, rosemary, & oregano to skillet. Return mushrooms to skillet

-Give everything a stir & bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes. Gently stir roasted eggplant into mixture & bring back to a simmer. Allow to cook until all the vegetables are tender & sauce thickens up just a bit, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat & season with salt & pepper to taste

-Divide pasta among 3 or 4 plates & top with eggplant mixture. Serve hot!

XOXO