Eggplant Sauce over Butternut Squash Noodles (Paleo)

Eggplant is what I like to call the “transition” vegetable. Poor thing (yes, I just expressed sympathy for a vegetable), it’s not really the summer vegetable since it comes in at the end of the season. And you can’t really call it a fall vegetable since it peaces out by the time October rolls around. It kinda hangs out in limbo. Unfortunately that limbo is going to be ending pretty darn soon, so time to get the last few meals out of it!

Eggplant Sauce over Butternut Squash Noodles (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp avocado oil

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp parsley

1/2 paprika

salt and pepper

1 eggplant

2 peppers

1 and 1/2 cups diced tomatoes with juice

Black olives (optional)

———-

Shredded butternut squash from 1 “neck” *

1 tbsp avocado oil

*By “neck,” I mean the long part of the squash. Simply peel this section, cut off from the round part of the squash (use this part for another recipe), and run through the shredding attachment to your food processor (you can also shred with a grater). Make sure you are working with squash that has NOT been cooked!!!

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium low heat in a deep skillet. Add in onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add in garlic, parsley, paprika, and salt and pepper and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in eggplant and peppers, cover with a lid and let cook for an additional 15 minutes. Afterward, add in tomatoes and olives. Heat for 5 more minutes and then set aside.

During this cooking process, heat the other tbsp of oil in another deep skillet. Add in shredded butternut squash and cover with a lid for 4 minutes, stirring once or twice (DO NOT let this cook for longer!). Place in a bowl and top with finished eggplant sauce.