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Herbed Eggplant and Tempeh Marinara Bake

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It’s a seasonal landmark.

 

I had to bust out the socks.  I woke up and it was only 60 degrees.  This may sound perfect to many of you, but I love the summer.  I’ll miss you, ballet flats.

 

 

Don’t get me wrong.  There are many thing about fall that I do love: football, boots with the fur, apples… and tomato sauce.

You can tell what season it is by looking at how I’m eating tomatoes.  In the spring, I’m eating salsa like a deranged Mexican.  In the summer I load up on Heirlooms – no recipe needed, just slice ’em fresh.  When cooler weather strikes, I want marinara sauce and red wine.

 

 

When Uncle Dude’s posted to twitter asking for people to try out their sauce, I jumped at the opportunity.  I am guilty of being a lazy sauce-maker.  It’s not hard to make from scratch, but more often than not I use something from a jar and add my own twist to it.

This particular sauce is called “Uncle Dude’s Ridiculous Marinara.”  With a name like that I had to try it!

 

 

Dude’s sauce is indeed good.  I especially love that they left nice chunks of tomato and onion in it.  It gave it a feeling of being homemade.  My only complaint is that it was a bit salty.  If you don’t have a low-sodium diet, you probably won’t notice.

Being homemade with fresh veggie pieces didn’t save it from my modifications.  This bake received as herbed twist with fresh rosemary , basil, and thyme.  I also topped it with a little nutritional yeast (it would also be good with freshly grated parmesean).  Finished with a thick, velvet-y aged balsamic that I scored on my trip to Italy last October.

 

 

This rich, herb-laced bake was served with a glass of my current favorite el cheapo wine: Apothic Red.  This wine runs about $10 a bottle and has a deep cherry flavor with hints of mocha on the nose.  It has a smooth finish with just a hint of spice.

 

 

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Herbed Eggplant and Tempeh Marinara Bake

  • 1 C marinara sauce
  • 1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2 in rounds
  • 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1/2 small red pepper, diced
  • 2 servings (~150g) tempeh, crumbled
  • 2 T fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 T fresh thyme
  • 2 T nutritional yeast
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread 1/4 C of the marinara sauce along the bottom of a 9×9 baking dish.

Arrange the veggies, tempeh, and herbs in layers in the dish.  Top with remaining sauce, red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins.  Remove foil and bake 15 mins more, or until veggies are tender and sauce is bubbling.

Make 2 large or 4 side portions.

***

Today I need full-body support socks.  Leg day with my evil trainer nearly killed me last night.  450 lb leg press?!  Really?!

What is your favorite fall meal?

Have you had to bust out the socks yet?

Comments

  4. Soup! Soup is definitely my favourite fall meal – creamy butternut squash soups, tomato and roasted red pepper, black bean…. I love them! And Unfortunately I also have had to bust out “the socks” (though mine are grey with a christmas pattern on them, from my grandma) not so much because it is really cool, but because I got sick. Ick! It just ads to my mourning for the loss of summer haha! 🙂

  7. Haven’t busted out any socks, but today I am wearing flats instead of sandals. Dude, 450 lb leg press? Really?! Haha, you know what I do? 90 lbs. I need you to become my trainer.

  8. Dang woman! That sounds like an intense workout! I am so cold natured, the socks never go away or the cardigans for that matter. I don’t normally make my own sauce either. I always fix it up though. That meal is totally up my alley and perfect for fall! I’m ready for some hearty roasted root vegetables this year! My favorite fall food!

    • Ummm… I am barely functioning right now. Intense doesn’t begin to describe. LOL!

      Root veggies are the best. I’m ready for some butternut squash!

    • It’s somewhat chewy depending on how it’s prepared. It can also be really crispy if you pan fry it. I like that it has more “bulk” to it than tofu, and it’s a less process form of soy.

  11. I am seriously looking forward to sock wearing weather here in FL! I think it’ll be a while though. 🙁

    And that bake looks awesome! I too love doctoring up store bought sauces with spices and veggies – Vishnu calls it the Par touch!

  15. Not only have I had to break out the socks, I broke out the scarves. In the mornings I occasionally debate gloves. It’s not even that cold but I’m used to it being in the 80’s till November.

    The bake looks excellent. I just found tempeh at the organic market here and loved it and want recipes to use it in. I’ll definitely be trying this!

  20. Ooo, I love a good cheap red! Not even ashamed to admit that. Me+drinkable cheap wine? Oh yeah. And…I own those socks. Or, well, a VERY similar version. Of course, right?

  21. Things are getting chilly here. We opened the windows in our house and when I woke up it was 64…oooh a little bit chilly.

    I do love summer, but I also love the fall season (although I will miss my sandals).

    As for favorite fall food I love roasted vegetables, especially butternut squash.

  22. I just dug out my socks yesterday!! Haven’t worn them yet, but I think by tomorrow I will (and I could have today, it is COLD!)

    I love the progression of the tomato eating – I am the same way, down to the salsa 😉

  24. Oh boy, this looks awesome. I am totally obsessed with marinara sauce, this looks perfect! Paired with that wine too, sounds divine.

  25. This looks delicious. Pinned it already. Going to try to impress the fam with it. I also need some cool socks like that. 🙂 Maybe I need to come to Atlanta just so you can teach me a few tricks in the kitchen. 🙂

    • thanks for the pin – I think the fam would love it and it’s super easy!

      Pleassssse come to Atlanta! I have a bottle of wine with your name on it. 😉

  27. I’m jealous of your cooler weather– care to send some fall air to this inferno called south Texas? 🙂 The moment any sign of coolness hits, I’m totally busting out the fuzzy socks 😉
    Awesome recipe too, it sounds DELISH!

  28. I adore your socks. You are so awesome for owning those. This bake looks amazing. Do you buy nooch at YDFM? PS I love you for offering smoothies and I will be sending you an email shortly re:walk!

  30. What do you mean “I’ll miss you, ballet flats.” Why are you not rocking those fabulous stripper heals.

    I make my own pasta sauce in the summer when the tomatoes are all fresh and juicy, and in the winter, I stick with the jars, but either way, I love your addition of balsamic. Great idea.

  31. Um – wow – this looks awesome! I’m pinning it for later meal-planning. I’m still eating my awesome, fresh heirlooms, but I know their days are numbered.

    450lb? You are a rockstar.

    And it was 65 on my run this morning with a really cold breeze – I was a little warm, but my throat was angry at the sudden cold air. Very weird combo. It was not a good run. 🙂

  32. mmmm this looks great! I eat marinara sauce on EVERYTHING when I’m in a marinara phase. Like, I use it as salad dressing.

  35. you’re SO good at meatless mondays haha i would be a shame about it! mondays i ALWAYS want meat – idk why maybe the start of the work week makes me crave meat hahaha

    • I LOVE it! It is so flattering that you are trying it out. You must keep me posted on your results. You’ve already made such great progress!!!

  38. I’m so with you – I live for tomatoes (and fall, I love everything about it). I just got another batch of organic tomatoes from my mothers garden and I couldn’t wait for dinner – I had to eat one plain!

    • I had a friend that used to eat them like apples! I’m not quite there… but at times that does cross my mind. 🙂

  39. Oooh, yum!! I am a huge tomato eater too… I’m going to miss all the fresh tomatoes. It won’t be sock season here for a few more months… but I’m going to start cooking like it’s fall anyway. 🙂

    • That’s the spirit! I’m trying to remind myself that in a few months I’ll be wishing for summer foods… but fall food is too exciting right now.

  40. Babe, even though I came from winter to summer in August, I’ve still been wearing thermal socks to bed every night. Socks are my lover.

  42. This sounds delicious, and perfect for end-of-summer. That’s what I’m calling it, because I’m in denial still and it’s not actually fall yet. Despite the fact that I had to actually use all the covers on mour bed last night. Sigh. Once fall does arrive, officially, I will resume with my fall favorites–soup, chili and roasted seasonal veggies. Love, love, love those socks!

  45. Omg, I can’t help it, but the inner x-ray tech nerd in me wants your socks SO bad! Too cute!

    I do the same thing with jarred sauces…I don’t mind making my own, but I don’t know, there’s still something about the pre-made ones (even though I ALWAYS doctor them up with own seasonings). It IS hard to find a good one with low sodium though. You may tackle sweets better than me, but it’s good to know I’m not the only one who’s sensitive to salt in foods. I was so excited about my rosemary Wasa Crackers I picked up the other day…opened them up, took a big bite…and totally spit it out in my hand! It was like liking a friggin salt block for crying out loud! I swear my tongue shriveled up in my mouth! Ick!

    Love the look of the veggie bake! I’ve been craving cheese like crazy lately…actually, I can’t decide if I want pizza, lasagna, or just a bowl of mac ‘n cheese, but I spied a link to your Vegan Ricotta Pasta Bake and pinned it so we’ll see what goes down this weekend! 😉

    Oh and thanks for the review on that wine…I’ve seen it several times and thought about picking it up! Not too spicy? I hate the ones that basically taste like you just ground up some black pepper and threw it in a wine glass!

    Favorite fall meal: CHILI!!!!!

    I haven’t busted out the socks just yet, but it’s been so chilly in the mornings lately when I get off work, that you better believe I started using my heated seats! Nothing like some toasty buns first thing (or in my case last thing) in the morning! 😀

    • Crackers are terrible! I need to start making my own, but I am incredibly lazy when it comes to cracker and bread-making.

      That pasta bake was really good! The Tofu Ricotta Eggplant Rollitni was a fav too. Mmmm… I don’t like cold weather, but I LOVE fall food. Let me know what you do with it – I know you’ll funk it up! 😉

      And the wine is not over-spiced in the least. It’s a very drinkable red.

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