Dreamy Eggplant Pasta with sundried tomato and pepper

This recipe is “Gluten-Free”, “Dairy-Free”, “Grain-Free”, and “Vegan” friendly.

This Pasta dish is so easy to make and filled with nutrients. It is so hearty and it is not your average pasta dish.

It is also meal prepping friendly*.

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like pasta? I remember when I was a kid, Pasta was the only thing I ate. I used to order pasta all the time when I dine out at a restaurant or ask my mom to make it for me. When I got older (in my 20s), I stopped eating pasta because I thought it is a heavy dish filled with empty calories, useless carbs, and filled with dairy and fat.

Throughout my journey (which I am writing a post about), I have learned to not eliminate any food from my diet and there is always a deliciously healthy way to make each dish.

Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian or nutritionist. Everything I am sharing is from my experience and what works for me which not necessarily will work for everyone.

How to choose Pasta?

I personally like using pasta that has wholesome ingredients. Nowadays, pasta is not only made of white bleached flour; you can find pasta that is made of wholewheat flour, chickpeas flour, quinoa, lentil, ..etc and the list goes on and on. If you haven’t tried any of the new pasta varieties, I would recommend trying some and finding your favorite.

Some of my favorite Pasta brands:

• Banza Chickpeas pasta

• Trader Joe’s Quinoa and Brown rice Pasta

• Trader Joe’s Lentil and brown rice spaghetti.

• Ancient harvest Gluten-free Organic Supergrain Pasta Corn & Quinoa Blend

Ingredients

• 1 Pasta Box

  • I love Banza chickpeas flour pasta

• 2 medium-sized eggplants

  • Cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 cooked cups)

• 1 stalk of leek

  • ( If you don’t have leek, use a small chopped onion)

• 1 chopped red bell pepper

• 1 small Thai red pepper chopped (if you love some heat)

• 1 small onion - sliced

• 12 finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

• Some baby spinach (optional)

• 2 garlic cloves- peeled and minced

• 1 big tomato- peeled and diced

• Marinara sauce

• Avocado oil, salt, pepper, oregano

• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F / 185C.

2. Transfer the cut eggplant cubes onto a baking sheet and drizzle them with avocado oil and salt. Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and cook them for about 30- 45 minutes until they are softened.

3. Set a pan over medium heat, add avocado oil and your chopped veggies (leek/ onions, red bell peppers, garlic, and Thai peppers), and sauté them until the pepper is cooked and softened. Transfer the veggies out of the pan to a plate and set it aside.

4. Using the same pan, add the sun-dried tomatoes. Sautee for 2 minutes then add the chopped onions and a dash of salt and cook until softened.

5. Add the cooked veggies (peppers, garlic, and onions/ leek) to the sun-dried tomatoes and onions then add the peeled tomatoes, oregano, black pepper, coconut sugar, and the marinara, and let it cook for 5 minutes

6. Once the eggplant is cooked and ready. add the baked eggplant cubes, baby spinach, and mix everything together. Now the sauce is ready.

7. Cook the pasta according to the box instructions

8. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix everything.

9. Plate your pasta and garnish it with some basil, parmigiana cheese, a fresh crack of black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

10. Enjoy!

*For meal prepping:

• Cook the eggplant ahead of time and store it in the fridge.

• The sauce also can be made ahead of time.