Cooking Without Rules: Aubergine Spinach Parmesan Bake

Don’t overthink dinner. Sometimes the best meals are the ones you throw together with what’s in your kitchen. This easy, cozy bake makes 3–4 servings, is packed with flavor, and proves that simple can be scrumptious.

My friends and family are always curious about what I’m cooking up next. They’ll tell you they love my meals, but they’ll also say I make some of the “weirdest” or most unique combinations. I laugh, because to me it doesn’t feel weird—it just feels like freedom in the kitchen. I don’t follow recipes. Ever. I cook what I think I’ll like, and if it turns out delicious, I’ll remember the gist of it for next time (though it will never be exactly the same). That’s part of the fun!

Food doesn’t have to be complicated to be wonderful. With a little creativity, a handful of ingredients, and a dash of curiosity, you can make magic happen. So, at 5’4, weighing in at a few ounces over 120, with a metabolic age of 49, this proud T1D is here to present tonight’s delightfully simple dish:

Aubergine Spinach Parmesan Bake

Servings:

Makes 3–4 nice-sized portions (perfect for dinner plus leftovers for lunch the next day, and then some).

Ingredients:

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into small cubes

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 handfuls frozen spinach

• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

• ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes

• ½ jar Rao’s Arrabbiata marinara (or your favorite)

• ½ cup cooked pasta

• ⅓ cup grated parmesan

• Sourdough baguette, toasted (for serving)

Directions:

1. Place the eggplant cubes in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt, and let them rest for about 20 minutes. Pat them dry with paper towels to soak up the extra water.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F.

3. Toss eggplant with olive oil and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

4. Add spinach, garlic, and red pepper flakes on top. Bake another 10 minutes.

5. Pour on the marinara sauce and bake 10 more minutes.

6. Add cooked pasta, gently stir to coat the pasta with the marinara, and sprinkle parmesan over the top. Bake another 7 minutes until bubbly and golden.

7. Serve with toasted sourdough and a simple side of arugula with vinaigrette and apple slices.

   
   

Voila—dinner is served!

This dish took me a little longer than my usual throw-together meals, but it was worth every minute. On a rainy Charleston evening, after a lovely day of making new friends, it was the perfect comfort meal. Scrumptious, cozy, and satisfying.

The Joy of Cooking Simply

Here’s the secret: you don’t need a rulebook in the kitchen. Cooking is play. It’s mixing what you have on hand, leaning into flavors you love, and trusting yourself to create something nourishing and tasty. The best part? It doesn’t have to be the same every time.

So go ahead—experiment. Swap the spinach for kale. Try a different cheese. Throw in lentils, chickpeas, mushrooms, corn, or zucchini. Whatever makes your taste buds dance.

Life is too short to complicate dinner. Say yes to new combinations, new flavors, and new adventures—because you never know what road (or recipe) will lead you to joy.

Life is good—live it, love it, enjoy it.

💛 Honey