For years I was under the illusion that roasting vegetables was one of those things you do on the weekend, when you have plenty of time. Then, when I began roasting veggies to add to my weekday lunch salads, I realized how quick the process can be. This is especially true when you layer the baking pan with foil to facilitate cleanup, a tip I learned from baking author Nick Malgieri.

Here we're roasting eggplant and onions, then adding faster-cooking cherry tomatoes, to add to pasta. The amount of oil is approximate, depending on your taste. Do know, however, that you don't have to soak the eggplant with oil to get delicious results. As I have learned from experience, eggplant will keep absorbing as much oil as you provide — so save your calories and refuse to buy into its wily appetite for excess. Also, other vegetables that would do nicely here, with similar cooking times: bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli florets and green beans.

This pasta dish makes four smallish servings or three larger ones. You can supplement it with a tossed salad and ciabatta.