Leggo My Eggplant!
Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe (2 heaping cups)
Calories: 312
Fat: 4.5g
Sodium: 579mg
Carbs: 60g
Fiber: 16.5g
Sugars: 15g
Protein: 14g
PointsPlus® value 8*
Eggplant is terrific, especially in saucy Italian dishes. And when we first heard about Macaroni Grill's new meal, we thought it sounded great. Then we saw the stats. OOF. So we got a-swappin' -- this recipe puts the restaurant version to shame.
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, ends removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/8 tsp. each salt and black pepper
3 oz. (about 1 cup) uncooked high-fiber penne pasta
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
Optional seasonings: additional salt and black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Evenly place eggplant and cherry tomatoes on the sheet. Spray with nonstick spray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until eggplant is tender and tomatoes are soft and slightly blackened, 25 - 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare pasta in a medium pot per package instructions, about 10 minutes. Drain and cover to keep warm.
To make the sauce, bring a small pot sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until onion has fully softened, about 5 minutes.
Gently stir sauce and baked veggies into the cooked pasta. Sprinkle each serving with basil and feta cheese. EAT!
MAKES 2 SERVINGS