Roasted Eggplant Sandwiches

I was trying to think of something to do with the eggplant that we had left over from the roasted eggplant towers and decided to make some sandwiches. I was really surprised at how good they turned out! I think I said about three times during dinner how much I liked them. Nick liked them too- I had made him one chicken sandwich and one eggplant, and he actually liked the eggplant better! I will definitely be making these again in the future for a quick, casual dinner.

Ingredients-
Whole wheat bread (I recommend using the bread from a bakery rather than typical sandwich bread)
Roasted red pepper, sliced (I roasted ours, but you can buy the jarred kind to save time if you want)
Roasted eggplant slices (See this post on roasting eggplant)
Pesto
Olive oil mayo (or light mayo)
Tomato, sliced
Crumbled goat cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Toast bread in a toaster or under the broiler.
3. Spread a thin layer of mayo on one slice of bread
4. Spread a layer of pesto on top of the mayo.
5. Place slices of eggplant, followed by roasted red peppers, and tomatoes on the bread.
5. Sprinkle goat cheese on top of tomatoes.
6. Place sandwiches (open faced) under the broiler to slightly melt the cheese.
7. Remove from oven and top with second piece of bread.

Roasted Eggplant Towers

Tonight's dinner was just kind of a "create as I go" type dinner, but it turned out pretty well! I knew I would like it going in because it involved 3 of my favorite things: spaghetti squash, marinara, and broccoli. I don't know why, but I had been wanting to try eggplant for a while now. I decided that roasting it was the way to go. I don't really know that I did it right because I think there is some sort of process to get the excess water out, but I just guessed. It seemed fine to me, but maybe it could have been better- I don't know?? Anyway, Nick and I both really liked it, and it was very healthy since it was pretty much all vegetables!


Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1 bunch of broccoli
1 medium eggplant
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup of marinara (I used Trader Joe's Arrabiata sauce- I was very impressed with it)
Shredded or shaved Parmesan
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
2. Slice the eggplant crosswise into half inch slices.
3. Place slices of eggplant in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.
4. Place another layer of paper towels on top, pressing down lightly. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Then, with a dry paper towel, blot to pick up any remaining moisture.
5. Preheat oven to 375.
6. Cut broccoli into florets, toss with 1 Tbsp of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Brush eggplant with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
8. Put eggplant and broccoli in oven to roast. It will probably take 25-35 minutes, but you will want to check and take them out when they are tender.
9. Cook spaghetti squash according to these directions (but without the tomatoes).
10. Once everything is cooked, assemble each plate with a pile of spaghetti squash, 3 slices of eggplant with marinara poured over each layer, and then add the broccoli. Sprinkle with Parmesan.