To produce quick, healthy, and tasty dinners on busy weeknights, stock your pantry with dried pastas, spices, and canned add ons such as diced tomatoes and capers. With a quick stop at the farmer's market or local produce stand, tonight's hearty vegetarian pasta is jammed packed with flavor and is ready in less than half an hour. Traditionally a puttanesca sauce has anchovies, but this version substitutes it with meaty eggplant. To make this meal vegan, choose a plain pasta instead of cheese tortellini and omit the Parmesan garnish. Get the recipe for tonight's dinner, just read more

Spicy Eggplant Puttanesca
From Vegetarian Times magazine

4 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium-sized eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup sliced red onion
1 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
1 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
4 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained
1 Tbs. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried chili flakes
1 12-oz. bag frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, optional
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, warm oil over medium heat in large nonstick saucepan. Sauté eggplant, onion and bell pepper 5 to 10 minutes, until eggplant is soft but not mushy.
3. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes more.
4. Add olives, tomatoes and capers, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in oregano and chili flakes.
5. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer while pasta cooks.Add tortellini to boiling water, and cook according to package directions, being careful not to overcook. Drain pasta, and stir into puttanesca sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese, if desired, and parsley, and serve.

Serves 4.

PER SERVING: 576 CAL; 17 G PROT; 22 G TOTAL FAT ( 3 SAT. FAT) ; 64 G CARB.; 37 MG CHOL; 827 MG SOD.; 10 G FIBER; 12 G SUGARS

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