Calories: House hunting & some Light Cooking (Pasta with Broccoli, Roasted Vegetables & Toasted Almonds)

We are a little busy with our house hunting and very soon will be shifting our base from Chesterfield. Its been 4 years here in this small countryside & it scares me to move to a bigger town. I am now used to the sheeps, meadows & the English charm over here that the fast paced life of a bigger town is making me uncomfortable. And the "House Hunting" is a pain in itself too, there is nothing like a perfect house which you can call it your home. I was very particular about my kitchen & when we found this perfect house, I had to compromise on my condition...I am getting a HOT PLATE instead of a gas burner...I so hate it...(U know, I don't get my "phulkas" right on those round flat plate....and u just don't know, which of the hot plate is switched on...Blah!!) But the house is good. Perfect for the two of us, loved the garden and the outside space where I have already started thinking of doing BBQs. :)

And when we went to recky this new town, I found a restaurant named "Fort Kochi" (this was the first time I was seeing an authentic Kerala restaurant in the UK....others are all general South Indian restaurants or some run by others claiming they are Indians. Immediately I forgot all my kept conditions cos I knew, I was about to get some awesome Kerala backwater cuisine just next to my doorstep. But less did I know that it was only a mirage in a desert. That restaurant had long shut down and now only the grand hoarding and the building remains.....:( . I guess now I have to cook up my own "Meen Pollichathu" at my home on my damn hot plate!!

Changing the topic, getting ready for the Its "Fit & Fabulous Friday", so got to cook something healthy. I will not get time to blog this friday hence publishing the recipe today itself. I had this one recipe, bookmarked it long time back from a magazine. Loved the combination of different vegetables & nuts to it. A delicious wholesome & colourful supper packed with taste & texture.

Pasta with Broccoli, Roasted Vegetables & Toasted Almonds

Ingredients:

200 gm pasta (any kind)
200 gm broccoli (cut into florets, you can also use tender stem broccoli)
1/2 of 1 large aubergine or 2-3 long eggplants (cut into bite sized sticks)
1 capsicum/bell pepper (cut into bite sized sticks)
1 courgette/zucchini (cut into bite sized sticks)
1 red onion (cut into bite sized chunks)
3 cloves of garlic (unpeeled & crushed)
1 red chilli (finely sliced)
2 thyme sprigs (I use dried thyme)
25 gm flaked almonds
grated parmesan cheese (to top the dish at the end)
olive oil to drizzle
salt & pepper for seasoning

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Celsius. Also heat a saucepan with water to boil.
Put the aubergine, bell pepper, courgette & onion on a baking tray, along with the garlic & chilli. Season with salt & pepper along with the thyme & pour over the olive oil. Toss the vegetables with your hand. Put the tray in the oven & bake for 10 minutes.
Cook the pasta according to packet instructions in the water which was kept for boiling.
After 10 minutes, take out the baking tray & add the broccoli & toss to combine wih other vegetables & olive oil. Bake again for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile toast the flaked almonds on a tray tray in the oven for 5 minutes.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it & then combine it with the roasted veggies & any remaining oil in the tray. Also throw in those toasted almonds to it.
Drizzle some more olive oil over the pasta & top generously with some parmesan cheese. Road to Happiness!! :)

Sending this recipe to vardhiniskitchen.blogspot.com for the event Healthy Lunchbox ideas, theme for the month is "Broccoli". This event is originally started by Kalyani.