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