Oven-Baked Stuffed Eggplant

Packed with Quinoa, Veggies, and topped with Goat Feta

This week at Chews Healthy, I decided to try something different, something I have never made before. I had originally had this dish at a friend's place last week at a small diner party, and to say the least I was quite impressed by the flavours from this entrée. The flavours in this dish are robust and savoury,  and is packed with proteins and vitamins.To top it all off, it is sprinkled with goat feta cheese, what's not to love, seriously!

Goat cheese is  higher in calcium, and lower in fat and calories in comparison to it's cow counterpart. "Goat cheese clocks in at eighty calories and six grams of fat per ounce, compared to cow's milk cheese, which generally has around 100 calories and 10 g of fat per ounce. This means goat cheese is the better choice for staying fit and thin." (Fromagerie Belle Chèvre. 2013)

Anyways, enough about the facts and more about the making and eating. Let's get started!

Ingredients

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 5-10 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

• 1 Large Eggplant, sliced in half length-wise
• 1 Red Bell Peper, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 4 Cloves of Garlic, sliced finely
• 1 1/2 Cup of Organic Quinoa, cooked
• 1 Cup of Water
• 1 1/2 Lemon, juiced
• 1 Tablespoons of Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon of Paprika
• 1 Tablespoon of Basil
• 1 Tablespoon of Rosemary Leaves
• 3 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

Shelled-out Eggplant

The first step to prepare this delicious meal is to preheat your oven to 400°F. Next using a sharp knife slice through the eggplant length-wise. Once cut in half, cut into each half of the eggplant in a criss-cross formation, which will look almost grid-like. Make sure to leave a about a 1/4-inch border all along the edges, this is a crucial step. If the eggplant shell is too thin, it will deflate and flatten into a mush once baked. After you have made the required incisions, use a spoon and scoop out the body of the eggplant. Make sure to leave a 1/4-inch border along the bottom of the eggplant as well. 

Once the eggplan has been shelled-out, place the scooped out 'guts' of the eggplant into a medium mixing bowl. Add in the other sliced vegetables (red bell pepper, yellow onion, and garlic) into the mixing bowl, as well as the other ingredients (lemon juice, rosemary, basil, paprika, oregano, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil). Using your hands, mix these ingredients together, until the scooped out eggplant starts to gain a reddish tone. 

Hand-Mixed Veggies

Next, poor 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil into each of the shelled-out eggplants. Rub the oil throughout the inside of the shell, this will help keep the eggplant moist while baking. Place the shelled-out eggplant onto a baking sheet with sliced side facing down. Empty the mixing bowl on a separate baking sheet, make sure to spread out the veggies, this will help ensure an even bake. Once both the shell-out eggplant and sliced mixed veggies are on sheets, place them into the oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Make sure to stir occasionally.

While the veggies are baking, it's time to make the quinoa. Combine a 1/2 cup of quinoa and 1 cup of water into a small pot. Please note that some quinoa will have different directions, so make sure the follow the directions on the package! Cover the pot and stir every 3-5 minutes, the quinoa will become swollen and fluffy. Once cooked, allow the quinoa to sit in pot for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork.

Once the vegetables have cooked, take both sheets out of the oven. Empty the mixed vegetables into the mixing bowl and combine the quinoa. Once mixed, flip over the eggplant shells and scoop the mixed ingredients into the shells evenly. After, place the filled eggplant back into the oven for about 10-15minutes. Once they are done, take them out and crumble some goat feta cheese on top and serve hot.

Bon apetit!