Spaghetti Squash Pie

This dish is so yummy – a one pot wonder. If you are vegan just use 2 tbsp flax meal & 6 tbsp water mixed together in place of the egg (which is what I did). It makes great leftovers too!

• 1 globe eggplant, peeled and diced
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt
• 2 eggs or 2 tbsp flax meal mixed with 6 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 oz Parmesan cheese (vegan works great too)
• 1 lb spaghetti squash, roasted and shredded
• 2 tbsp capers, drained
• 1/2 c basil, torn

Preheat oven to 425.

Heat oil in the skillet add eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, oil, salt and red pepper flakes. Cool until eggplant is tender, stirring often. Add spaghetti squash and stir to incorporate.

Combine egg, cheese and tomatoes paste then stir into the pan. Add the capers and basil, stir in and bake for 30 – 35 min.

Serves 8.

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Eggplant Parmesan Gratin

This recipe is from Tartine all Day – I made a few changes to make it vegan, you can use regular cheese if your prefer.

• Olive oil
• 2 lb eggplant, sliced 3/4 inch thick
• Salt
• 1 c quinoa, well rinsed
• 2 lb tomatoes, cored and halved
• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 sprigs thyme leaves
• 8 oz nut ricotta cheese
• 1 bunch of basil
• 2 c grated vegan mozzarella

Heat oven to 400.

Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with olive oil. Spread quinoa across the bottom.

Heat grill over high heat. Spray with olive oil and grill eggplant about 3 min per side. Season with a little salt and set aside.

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic thyme and salt in a food processor and pulse until chunky.

To assemble, spoon 1/2 the tomato sauce over the bottom of the pan, top with eggplant slices, dot with “ricotta” and sprinkle with “mozzarella”, top basil and repeat.

Bake for 45 min until golden brown. Let cool 10 min and serve.

Serves 6 – 8.

Grilled Eggplant with Almond Salsa

This is a riff of a recipe I found in the NYT. If you are vegan leave swap out vegan mozzarella and vegan yogurt. Melt the mozzarella on the eggplant in the broiler for a minute or two.

• 3 small or 2 medium Italian eggplant
• Kosher salt
• ½ cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus more for serving
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Olive oil
• 1 bunch of mint
• Black pepper
• ⅔ cup roughly chopped almonds, toasted
• 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 Fresno or Serrano pepper, minced
• 8 ounces halloumi cheese, sliced
• Pita bread, for serving

Line a colander with paper towels or a clean dishcloth. Slice the eggplant into 3/4- to 1-inch rounds, place in the colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes, until water beads on top of the eggplant.

In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt with the lemon juice, 2 garlic clove, 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of the torn mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Place the nuts in medium bowl, then add the red-wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, minced garlic clove and Fresno pepper. Mix and season with salt to taste.

Heat a grill over high heat and spray with olive oil. Cook the eggplant and cheese about 3 -4 min pee side until nicely charred.

To serve, spread some on the yogurt mixture on a plate, top with eggplant and cheese and drill with almond salsa.

Serves 4.

Eggplant Gyro

This recipe is inspired by Eating Well. You need to prepare and marinade the eggplant in advance so there is some fore thought required. The rest of the dish comes to gather super quick!

• 1 ½ pounds eggplant
• Salt
• ½ c olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp piment d’Espelette or Aleppo pepper
• 1 head of romaine, rinsed and separates
• 2 tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1 container of Tzatziki or you can make your own
• Hot sauce
• Feta, unless your vegan
• Pita bread
• Sliced red onion

To prepare eggplant:

Trim ends off eggplant and cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch-thick slices. Place in a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

Transfer the eggplant to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Whisk oil, dill, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, oregano and piment d’Espelette (or Aleppo) in a small bowl. Rub the marinade on the eggplant. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.

To grill & serve: Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill the eggplant, turning once, until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Serve in pitas with tomato, lettuce, onion and some of the tzatziki and feta, of using.

Serves 4.

Grilled Eggplant Salad

This is one of those dishes that evolves when you look in the fridge and can’t figure out what to cook tonight! It turned out so good and it literally took less than 20 min!

• 2 small eggplants, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 package grilling cheese
• 1 – 2 tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Olive
• Pesto

Preheat grill on high. Brush or spray eggplant with olive and season with salt and pepper.

Grill eggplant and cheese for 5 min per side or until nicely charred and softened.

Layer eggplant, cheese, tomato and repeat. Top with sliced olives, pesto and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 2.

Cumin Roasted Eggplant with Chickpeas, Walnuts and Dates

This almost vegan dish packs a ton of flavor! It comes together pretty easily so it is good for a weeknight meal.

• 1 lb Eggplant
• 1 small onion, quartered
• Olive oil
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 3 tsp Aleppo pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 c chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp date syrup
• 5 dates, chopped
• 1/4 walnuts, chopped and toasted

Dressing

• 3 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove, garlic crushed
• 1/4 c Greek yogurt
• Lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine dressing in a small food processor with 3 tbsp water add more water if too thick, set aside.

Cut Eggplant into 3/4 inch slices. Slice the onion 3/4 inch slices. Toss onions and eggplant with 5 tbsp olive oil cumin and aleppo. Roast for 35 – 40 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp oil to a pan and cook Chickpeas until crunch.

Combine eggplant, onions, chickpeas, lemon juice in a bowl and drizzle with dressing.

Serves 4.

Eggplant Gratin

Another healthy late summer dish!

1 1/4 lb eggplant, sliced thin

1 lb tomato, sliced thin

Zest of one lemon

1 tsp Thyme

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

Pepper

1/4 c olive oil

4 oz goat cheese

1/2 c Panko

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl combine eggplant, tomatoes, zest, thyme, garlic 1 tsp salt, pepper and 1/4 c olive oil.

Spray a gratin dish with olive oil. Layer veggies, dropping goat cheese as you go, make sure to end with veggies on top. Sprinkle with panko and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil.

Bake for 45 min until golden brown.

Serves 4.

Grilled Veggies and Cheese

This salad is perfect for a warm summer night since it is grilled.

¾ pound halloumi

2 sweet red peppers

1 large zucchini

1 Japanese eggplant

1 bunch scallions, trimmed

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

2 tsp fresh thyme or crumbled dried mint

1 tsp sumac

Balsamic glaze

Prepare a hot grill. Cut halloumi into 8 to 12 slabs, about 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick. Cut peppers into wide pieces, slicing from top to bottom along the natural indentations. Discard seeds. Cut pieces in half crosswise. Slice the zucchini and eggplant on the diagonal, into 1/4- thick.

Season all vegetables with salt and pepper. Brush vegetables and halloumi with olive oil.

Grill vegetables until tender and nicely charred, turning occasionally. If you’d like, use an outdoor grill pan to keep them from slipping through the grate. Scallions will be ready after 3 to 4 minutes. Peppers, zucchini and eggplant take about 10 minutes. Arrange on a platter.

Grill halloumi, turning occasionally, for 2 to 6 minutes, until grill marks appear. When you press on the cheese, it should give but it should not be runny.

Remove cheese to the platter with vegetables and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Sprinkle cheese and vegetables with herbs and sumac, if you’d like, and serve.

Serves 2 – 4.

Grilled Fattoush

This is a salad as a meal! Perfect for summer nights when it’s too hot to cook inside.

Ingredients:
Dressing:
5 tbsp olive oil
4 scallions
1 jalapeno
1/2 c green olives, chopped
3 tbsp salted, roaster pistachios
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Salad:
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 pitas
2 medium japanese eggplants, spiced lengthwise down the middle
Olive oil
1 8 oz package Halloumi cheese
2 persian cucumber, cut into bite size pieces
1 lb tomatoes, quartered
1/2 c mint, torn
1/4 c dill sprigs

Heat the grill over medium heat. Spray jalapeño and green onions with olive oil and cook until lightly charred.

Chop jalapeño and green onions, add to a bowl and stir in remaining dresssing ingredients. Set aside.

Mix the thyme, sesame seeds and garlic powder in a small bowl. Lightly oil the pitas and eggplant then sprinkle the thyme mixture over them. Grill turning occasionally, until golden with nice grill marks. Grill the halloumi about 2 min per side. Cut the eggplant and bread into bite size pieces. 

Toss pitas, cheese, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers and dressing together in a large bowl. Divide amoun plates and top with mint and dill.

Serves 4

Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb

This is from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem – it is so good! Warning in comes together really quickly, but takes about 2 hours total time.

Ingredients:
4 eggplants, split in half
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp paprika
2 onions, sliced thin
1 lb ground lamb
7 tbsp pine nuts
2 tsp tomato paste
2/3 c water
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tamarind
4 cinnamon sticks
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Place eggplants skin side down in a roasting pan, that fits snugly. Brush or spray with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, and cool slightly. 

Combine cumin, paprika and cinnamon in a bowl.

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat and cook onions and 1/2 the spice mixture until soft. Add lamb, tomato paste, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Cook until meat is cooked. Stir in pine nuts.

Combine water, lemon, tamarind and spices. Pour over eggplant, fill with meat and tightly cover.

Reduce oven to 375. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes basting ever 30 min and recovering.

Serves 4.