*This post is part of San Diego Hospice’s series of healthy recipes for patients. This series will be updated monthly. Feel free to let us know if there is a type of recipe you’d like to see more of.

When caring for a loved one who’s suffering from cancer or another serious illness, caregivers often search for recipes rich in essential nutrients. We’ve previously talked about the many vitamins one can find in tomatoes and avocados, however there are many other fruits and vegetables that are good for patients.

One key to finding a healthy recipe is looking for dishes that require a variety of vegetables, like the following Roasted Vegetable Pasta recipe, so that your loved ones body can get a well-rounded dose of vitamins.

Serve this Roasted Vegetable Pasta with a salad made with baby spinach and other dark leafy greens to further increase the variety. Most nutritionists will recommend a dark leaf lettuce (rather than a romaine or iceberg) since dark green lettuces are higher in Vitamins A, C and K.

Not only are recipes with variety good for your loved one or patients, they can also help keep taste buds from getting bored. Some find that using recipes that integrate vegetables into the main dish, instead of as a side, are an easier way to make vegetables tasty and more interesting.

Try this healthy recipe for patients:

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 largely yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces linguini or spaghetti
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
• In a large roasting pan or a large baking sheet with sides, toss zucchini, bell pepper, and onion with 1-tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables in the oven, stirring every 5 minutes, until tender and browned, 10 – 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, and remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain and transfer to the bowl with the tomatoes. Add roasted vegetables and toss well. Adjust with salt and pepper. Serve, passing feta separately.

For more recipes from Cancer Treatment Centers of America Nutritionists, visit CancerCenter.com.