Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Roasted Peppers and Eggplant

Ingredients

• 2 large Chinese eggplant, cut in uniform pieces, about 1″
• 3 large red, orange or yellow bell peppers, cut 1″ chunks
• 2 red onions, cut in 1″ chunks
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for drizzling over pasta when ready
• salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 28 oz can diced Italian tomatoes, not drained
• 1 28 oz can tomato sauce
• big pinch of dried oregano
• 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti (any pasta shape can easily be substituted)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss cut vegetables with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and spread out on a large baking sheet.
3. Bake vegetable mixture for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check on vegetables and gently toss to make sure they cook evenly. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until vegetables are nicely browned and roasted well. Set vegetables aside.
4. While vegetables are roasting, begin to cook pasta according to directions. When done, drain and place pasta back into pot. Set aside until sauce is ready.
5. In a large sauce pan, heat diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with a big pinch of oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then down to a simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes.
6. Add a cup of sauce and a drizzle of olive oil over cooked pasta and gently toss.
7. Serve pasta family style in large bowl (or in individual bowls) with additional sauce and roasted vegetables over pasta. Garnish with lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
8. Notes: if Chinese eggplants are not available to you, use 1 large Italian style eggplant.