Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Sauteed Eggplant & Peppers

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Sauteed Eggplant & Peppers

Always a weeknight staple, spaghetti can be prepared in endless ways.  At this time of year, it is a great canvas for seasonal vegetables-summer squashes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes all come to mind.  Chop your seasonal vegetables into large chunks and slow saute them over medium heat in 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with a chopped onion and two cloves of minced garlic.  Sprinkle with a generous helping of salt and crushed red pepper and cook for ten to twenty minutes or until the veggies are fork-tender.  You can add vegetable broth to the pan to keep the veggies from drying out as you cook them.  You can also de-glaze the vegetables in a 1/2 cup white wine to add a richness to their flavor.  Meanwhile bring the pasta water to a boil in a large pot and cook for ten minutes or until the pasta is al dente.  Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan where the vegetables are sauteing.  Turn off the heat and stir the pasta until it is fully incorporated with the vegetables.  Add another drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt and crushed red pepper and an handful or two of fresh, torn basil.  If you have a store-bought or homemade marinara sauce lying around you could also add a 1/2 cup of it to the pan.  A 1/4 cup of vegan pesto would also work nicely, especially this time of year when you may be rich in basil, spinach or arugula.  To prepare vegan pesto just follow the recipe for a  traditional nut-based pesto and omit the cheese.  You can also add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast in place of the cheese to retain that rich, umami flavor.  I like to use whole-wheat spaghetti for its additional nutritional value and satisfying, chewy texture.