Stuffed Aubergine/Eggplant

Stuffed Aubergine (Eggplant)

     I've had a lot of different experiences with eggplant, also knows as aubergine. The most common dish I've had with it is eggplant Parmesan (vegan and nonvegan alike) but I don't think that dish does the vegetable justice. Too often, it's hard to bite into, or doesn't have a very good flavour in my experience. This, however, was absolutely amazing. The eggplant was tender, and the other flavours complimented it really well!

If you like eggplant, or think it at least deserves a second chance, then definitely give this dish a try!

Yield: 2 servings 

Ingredients:

1 eggplant

1 Roma tomato

1/4 cup red lentils

1/4 cup rainbow quinoa

1/2 crushed tomato/sauce

1 cup chopped kale

1 clove of garlic 

1/2 Onion

2 drops of stevia or 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

1 tsp dried herbs (basil for me)

Dash of nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce instructions:

1. Combine tomato sauce, herbs, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. 

Eggplant instructions:

1. Cut the eggplant in half, and make small cuts in the middle. 

2. Spoon a small amount of the sauce over the surface, and spread. 

3. Roast the eggplant at 400 degrees F for approximately 40 minutes. It should be soft and oozing slightly if you squeeze the sides. 

Stuffing instructions:

1. Boil the lentils and quinoa for 20 minutes, strain excess water. 

2. Combine the rest of the sauce, onion, garlic, lentil/quinoa mixture, kale, and tomato into a saucepan and let simmer until it's really thick and fragrant. 

Lemon-tahini dressing:

-1 tbsp tahini 

-1 tbsp water

-1 tsp lemon juice

Combine until creamy.

How to assemble: 

Place stuffing on top of the roasted eggplant, and drizzle the tahini overtop. Enjoy!