Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Goat Cheese

As an effort to maintain a healthy diet, I try to make vegetarian meal once a week. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to adhere to this regime the past weeks for some reasons. Ok, they are mostly excuses, so I shall not bore you with the detail.

This week however, I am determine to stick with this resolution. As I was looking for a tried and tested recipe for our vegetarian meal, I came across one listed by Robyn1007 on the Cookinglight bulletin board. Although it called for yellow squash and zucchini which I didn't have on hand, I thought I could swap it with other vegetables. In my case, I used red bell pepper and eggplant. The result is one hearty satisfying meal. The transformation of the few humble vegetables after roasting is simply amazing. I like the fact that they are easy on the waist but huge in flavor.

I can't stop raving about my love of roasting vegetable! Whenever I find a vegetable that I don't like, I would just roast it. And then, they will be welcome as VIP on my favorite list. Like cauliflower. I only eat it when it's roasted with garlic, salt and lemon juice.(yum!) Using the roasting method, I have recently became acquainted with sweet potato too. My mum would be so proud of me. She couldn't persuade me to try her favorite purple sweet potato the last time I was home.

Note: I am excited to learn from the lovely Anh that Morgot of Coffee and Vanilla is hosting the Vegetarian Awareness Month in October. I am sure there will be more vegetarian ideas for me come early November.(When the roundup is up!)Oh, and I shall not forget to submit this pasta dish as my contribution for the Vegetarian Awareness Month.

Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Goat Cheese
Adapted from Cookinglight.com

1/2 pound uncooked penne (tubular-shaped pasta)
1 medium eggplant,cubed
1 large red bell pepper, remove seed and roughly chopped into cubes
1 cup thinly sliced red onion, separated into rings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
A handful of cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup (4 ounces) goat cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme


Preheat oven to 475°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, and set aside.

Combine eggplant and next 6 ingredients (squash through garlic) in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475° for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.Add the cherry tomatoes to the jelly roll pan. Roast until all vegetables browned. Drizzle vinegar over vegetables; toss well.

Combine pasta, vegetable mixture, goat cheese, basil, and thyme in a large bowl; toss well.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

note: the original recipe uses 2 cups of sliced zucchini and sliced yellow squash respectively.