Here is a great dish to serve on weeknights when you want something quick, tasty, and satisfying. Use any small shaped pasta, such as rotini or penne, and toss with browned sausage, cubed eggplant, and a few pantry staples to make a great all-in-one meal. Basil adds some freshness and feta cheese gives the dish a touch of tang.

Pasta w/ Sausage, Eggplant & Feta
adapted from Cooking Light

1 large eggplant (about 1 lb), peeled and cubed
1/2 lb bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, do not drain
8 to 10 oz (about half a box) small shaped pasta, such as rotini
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, brown sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into pieces with a wooden spoon. Add eggplant and garlic, cook until eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add tomato paste, oregano, pepper, and diced tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in basil.

Toss eggplant mixture with cooked pasta in a large bowl and top with feta. Serve immediately.

Like many dishes I have made lately, this recipe can be prepared vegan with a few simple adaptations. The original recipe calls for chicken stock, but Simple Garlic Broth would be a great substitution (vegetable broth with work as well). After that, just omit the cheese and you have a great vegan supper! Even with the non-vegan ingredients, this is an excellent quick and easy dish to make on those busy weeknights, using mostly pantry items.

The original recipe called for grape tomatoes, which I did not have on hand, so I substituted bella mushrooms. Bella mushrooms have a bit more flavor than traditional white mushrooms, but have basically the same cooking time. Also, the original recipe calls for shell-shaped pasta, but any similar shape will work just fine.

Pasta with Garlic-Chickpea Sauce
adapted from Cooking Light

1 tbsp olive oil, divided 
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-ounce) fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups uncooked rotini or similar shaped pasta
1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
Shredded Parmesan cheese, as desired

Heat half of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add crushed garlic; saute 1 minute. Add salt, red pepper flakes, chickpeas, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Place chickpea mixture in a blender (remove center of cap to allow steam to escape), and process until smooth.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

While pasta cooks, heat remaining oil in a small pan. Saute garlic for 1 minute. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until tender, adding additional oil if necessary.  

Combine chickpea mixture, pasta, mushrooms, fresh basil, and lemon juice; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

From Cooking Light magazine, this recipe is also called Al Cuscus bil Khodar al-mausium as it hails from Morocco. Using the Ras el Hanout spice mixture and Simple Garlic Broth, I was able to incorporate previous recipes and keep this dish a nice vegetarian alternative for dinner. With loads of sweet potatoes and parsnips, plus chickpeas for protein, this is a great, all-in-one dish with a savory yet sweet flavor. Look for flavored couscous, or use whole wheat.

Above: Pine nuts in the topping add a toasty crunch to the dish.

The recipe does contain honey, and I had to catch myself from calling it vegan. To make this a vegan dish, simple omit the honey or replace it with a vegan-friendly alternative like agave nectar.

Roasted Vegetable Couscous with Chickpeas and Onion-Pine Nut Topping
adapted from Cooking Light

5 cups diced peeled sweet potato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced peeled parsnips (about 10 ounces) 
2 tbsp  extra-virgin olive oil 
2 tsp Ras el Hanout 
3  carrots, peeled and diced (about 9 ounces)
1 1/4  cups Simple Garlic Broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Topping:
1  tbsp olive oil
1  sweet Vidalia onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 450F and cover the top of a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil over top of the foil.

In a large ziplock bag, combine sweet potatoes, parsnips, and carrots with olive oil and Ras el Hanout. Seal the bag tightly and toss vegetables to coat. Spread out on baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and salt. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork; gently stir in chickpeas. Keep warm.

To prepare topping, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 5-7 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add pine nuts and raisins; cook 2 minutes. Stir in cinnamon; cook 30 seconds. Stir in honey, and remove from heat.

To serve: Combine couscous mixture with roasted vegetables and toss. Top with onion mixture. Serve immediately.

Originally Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein from Cooking Light magazine, I found this recipe on MyRecipes.com and adapted it to the ingredients I had in the kitchen. I substituted cabbage for broccoli and used angel hair pasta instead of spaghetti. The result was a very delicious, easy to prepare dinner that was ready in no time flat. Feel free to use the vegetables you have on hand to make this dish a penny-saver.

During Veganomics, I had purchased red chile paste and lamented that I was afraid I would not use it again. I was glad to find another recipe that called for it, though the original recipe called for red chile paste with garlic. Either one would work fine in this dish. This is also an all-in-one type meal with vegetables, meat, and pasta all in the same dish, which saves time in the kitchen and avoids having to make unnecessary side dishes to compliment the main course.

Beef & Cabbage Lo Mein Noodles
adapted from Cooking Light

4 cups (8 oz uncooked) angel hair pasta
1 tsp dark sesame seed oil
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 head cabbage, cored and sliced
1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 lb beef, thinly sliced (cut for stir-fry)
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp red chile paste
green onions, chopped (optional)

Bring a medium pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions, omitted any salt or oil. Drain and toss with sesame seed oil, keeping warm. Meanwhile, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and red chile paste in a small bowl.

While pasta cooks, in a large skillet or wok, saute ginger and garlic in olive oil over high heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and saute for 1 minute. Add cabbage and saute until slightly wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside in a large bowl.

Add beef strips to pan, sauteing on one side for 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture and toss to coat beef. Return cabbage mixture to pan and toss to coat. Continue to sauteing, adding cooked pasta, until beef is just cooked through (do not overcook). Serve immediately, topped with chopped green onions if desired.

This recipe originally came from Real Simple magazine, though I made a few adjustments. What better to compliment South African wine than with some local cuisine? To be honest, I am not sure how authentic this recipe really is, as African is one global cuisine of which I know the least. This soup, however, is an all-in-one dish of substance: vegetables, protein from peanuts and peanut butter, and grains. The peanut butter ups the calorie content, making it heavier than most soups, but offers a vegan stew that really sticks to your ribs (yes, pun intended).  

The original recipe called for chicken stock, which I substituted with Simple Garlic Broth. Another vegan option would be vegetable stock. Because I used garlic stock, I omitted the garlic in this recipe. If you are using chicken or vegetable stock, also add 1 clove of minced garlic and 1 tbsp of oil to saute. I also used diced tomatoes with basil and oregano for an earthier flavor.

African Peanut Stew
adapted from Real Simple

1 (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes (do not drain)
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
3 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups garlic broth
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup uncooked white rice
6 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

In a large stockpot, combine tomatoes, tomato paste, carrots, peanut butter, broth, vinegar, salt, and cayenne pepper. Whisk together over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Add rice and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and top with green onions and peanuts.