Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta

So I'm pretty sure I'm turning into a vegetarian. I've been realizing that a lot of things I have been cooking are great vegetarian friendly meals! Maybe because I'm poor and meat is expensive, but it may also have to do with how delicious vegetables are! Yum! This past week, I thought I'd keep it simple and make a healthy pasta dish (with whole wheat pasta of course). I made Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta! (from EatingWell.com) The recipe follows:

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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium eggplant, (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup chopped pitted green olives

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

4 teaspoons capers, rinsed

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, (optional)

12 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or basil

Put a pot of water on to boil. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, vinegar, capers, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, 5 to 7 minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and divide the pasta among 6 shallow bowls. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and sprinkle parsley (or basil) on top.

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And there you have it!

Tangy from the tomatoes and vinegar- this pasta dish is great for a light lunch. I used thin spaghetti instead of Angel Hair and this dish turned out spectacular! The soft eggplant with the briney capers was great. I doubt I'll make this dish again anytime soon (I mean, after 3 days of this stuff, i've had enough for a while)- but it is a great dish to try out (and share!)!

Woot vegetarianism!

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 20 minutes

Taste: 8.5

Barley and Kielbasa Pilaf

Diets suck. For the longest time, I have been trying to convince myself that I can eat healthy foods but also enjoy the food I'm eating. Yeah. Right.

Alright, granted that there are some delicious foods out there that are also good for you- we all have to admit that a cheeseburger is going to taste a lot better than a salad. A decadent chocolate dessert is so much better than a piece of celery. Soy ice cream? Please- Haagen Daz is definitely the way to go. We all know it's true- diets suck.

Acknowledging that fact, it doesn't mean that we can't make foods that aren't that bad tasting and are healthy for us (but yes, aren't as good as cheeseburgers).

This brings me to my new recipe for today- Barley and Kielbasa Pilaf (recipe by Rachel Ray)


The recipe follows:

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1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups pearl barley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 1/2 pounds, butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into cubes (about 3 cups)
3/4 pound kielbasa, chopped
4 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the barley and garlic and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the water has evaporated, 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, toast the breadcrumbs over medium heat for 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the squash and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Add the kielbasa and cook until the sausage is browned and the squash is tender, 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the cauliflower and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Using a second skillet, weigh down the cauliflower until browned on one side. Turn and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add to the kielbasa and squash. Stir in the barley and parsley; top with the breadcrumbs.

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My tweaks: Instead of fresh breadcrumbs, I used Panko breadcrumbs (the Japanese version of breadcrumbs) to give it a lighter and airy crunch. Also, I used 99% lean turkey kielbasa- since we all know regular kielbasa would ruin the 'healthy' claim in this post. :)

What a great recipe! The lean sausage was a great savory addition to the dish while the sweet and soft butternut squash paired great with the crunchy panko breadcrumbs! The slightly charred cauliflower was also a great (and guilt-free) addition and added a smoky flavor to the pilaf. What was even better was that I have never had barley before! I was really excited to try out this dish and eat something I've never eaten before- and I am so happy this recipe was the one I tried!

While eating lunch at my cube (yes, I'm a loser) my cubemate (yes, J&J is cramped for space) commented on my lunch and even asked to try some! He loved it! (and asked for the recipe himself)

A great new dish- I gave my leftovers to Zeus and he couldn't get enough!!

Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Taste: 8.5

Pasta, Pesto and Peas

I am officially ashamed. I, Melissa Lee, ate white pasta. Yes, not whole grain/whole wheat but processed white pasta!

This is all Eric's fault. I literally haven't made a pasta dish with anything but whole wheat pasta in a few years, but Eric came to visit last week and because he was sick, I thought I'd follow his wish and make him pasta for dinner.




I got this pasta pesto recipe online and thought I'd try it out- thanks Ina Garten- once again!

The recipe follows:

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3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

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What a simple recipe! Quick and fairly easy, this pasta recipe can literally feed an entire family- and then some. I didn't realize how much pasta this was going to be (although it did ask for two boxes)- Eric and I were eating this for lunch and dinner for a few days straight, and we still had leftovers! So if you are just cooking for one (or two or three or four), I would suggest altering this recipe a bit so you don't make nearly as much! If you're off to a potluck party- this would be perfect!

The peas added a good texture and made the dish more hearty while the pine nuts gave it that extra crunch and bite. I omitted about 1/4 of the sauce- and it still came out tasty (and a bit much)- so thankfully Eric pointed it out before I mixed the sauce in!

Filling and surprisingly light, I really liked it! Not only did I have a meal for an entire week- I have some leftover pesto that I can use as a spread for my sandwiches next week! Woot!

Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Taste: 8.5