I’m all about pasta this weekend! I used  Simply Balanced Organic Trottole Pasta for this recipe. It’s a fun shape and all the good stuff you add to a pasta salad incorporates well into it. You can pretty much use any type of pasta for this dish if you can’t find this type. Some good alternatives would be farfalle, penne or even multi colored radiatore! Remember to always salt your water when boiling pasta!!

If you want to make this a vegan dish, use a vegan friendly pasta. 

What you’ll need:

• 16 oz Trottole pasta
• 1 medium Eggplant, roasted and diced
• 2 Carrots, chopped small (I used my Kitchen Aid Spiralizer if you have one)
• 5 Kale leaves, chopped fine
• 2 Green Onions, chopped into thin rings
• 4 oz Tomatoes, grape or cherry, halved (optional)
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 Tbls dried Thyme
• 2 Tbls Garlic Powder
• 1 small can of sliced black olives 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• S & P

What to do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Begin to boil the water for the pasta. 
3. Remove some of the skin on the eggplant with a peeler, dice and place on a sheet tray with olive oil and S & P. 
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until completely soft, remove and let cool. 
5. Boil the pasta according to the instructions, drain and let cool. 
6. Meanwhile, prepare the carrots, kale, onions, tomatoes and lemon juice and add all into a large bowl. 
7. Add the eggplant, thyme, garlic powder, S & P to the mixture. Combine thoroughly. 
8. Once the pasta has cooled, add it into the mixture with more olive oil and toss. Put in more or less oil and S & P to your taste. 

Enjoy!!