Eggplant and Tomato Orzo Pasta

Eggplant and Orzo pasta:

Ingredients:

Roasted eggplant
1 medium eggplant, slice into cubes
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

Roasted Tomatoes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp. olive oil
Salt
Black pepper


250gr. Whole Wheat Orzo
1/3 cup feta cheese, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped


Lemon Garlic dressing:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt
Black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 200℃ with one rack in the middle of the oven and the other rack in the upper third of the oven. Line 1 large, rimmed baking sheet and 1 small, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
• On the large baking sheet, toss the cubed eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer. Roast on the middle rack until the eggplant is tender and deeply golden on the edges, about 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway.
• On the smaller baking sheet, toss the halved tomatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Wait to place the pan of tomatoes on the top rack until you return the eggplant to the oven after tossing. Roast until the tomatoes are tender and a little wrinkled, about 10-12 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the orzo, give it a stir and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup cooking water, then drain the orzo and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
• To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle it over the warm orzo and toss to coat. Add the roasted eggplant, tomatoes, feta, basil, parsley, and pine nuts. Toss to combine. If the pasta seems dry, add a couple of tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water and/or a little more olive oil. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
• Ready to Serve.

Enjoy!

Tomato Pesto Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles

Tomato Pesto Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles:

Ingredients:

Whole grain spaghetti

1 large zucchini

Pesto:

2/3 cup walnuts
4 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
black pepper

Garnishes:

1/2 cup basil leaves
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil


Directions:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the spaghetti.  Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions.  Turn the zucchini into noodles.
• Toast the walnuts. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the walnuts, stirring occasionally, until they smell nice and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Cook the cherry tomatoes: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have burst open and they are cooking in their own juices
• In a food processor, combine the walnuts, half of the cooked tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt and several twists of freshly ground black pepper. Blend until the mixture is pretty smooth, then season to taste with additional lemon juice, salt and/or pepper.  Blend again.
• Pour the pesto over the spaghetti and toss to combine. If you’ll be consuming this dish in one sitting, go ahead and toss in all of the zucchini noodles.  
• Pour the rest of the cherry tomatoes on top of the dish, and sprinkle the basil over them. Toss gently, and divide the mixture into bowls. Top individual bowls with Parmesan or nutritional yeast, if you’d like, and a light drizzle of olive oil.

Enjoy!