Stuffed Eggplants

I love, love, love these stuffed eggplants! They're packed with heaps of hearty veggies and grains, which makes them not only nutritious but so delicious! So if you're looking for a quick but filling meal, you've found just that. You can prepare these eggplants in no time and end up with a mind-blowing, delicious meal that you will be craving for days later. In addition, their Mediterranean taste creates a summer mood even in winter!;)

Stuffed Eggplants Ingredients

• Large Eggplants - Obviously you will need eggplants… Make sure you get the largest one you can find!

• Tahini - Tahini not only makes this filling creamy, but also gives it a nuttier flavor.

• Grains - We've now tried a few different grains and find either barley, quinoa, wild rice or couscous to be the best!

• Mushrooms - Mushrooms not only add chewiness to this filling, but also great flavor!

• Grape Tomatoes - We used small, multicolored grape tomatoes, but feel free to use whichever type you prefer.

• Onion & Garlic - Adds more flavor!

• Yellow Pepper - Honestly you can use any colored pepper you like, we only used yellow because it adds more color to the whole meal.

• Parsley - This is an essential flavor so do not leave it out!

• Lemon Juice - A squeeze of lemon is as good as a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor of almost any food.

• Olives - Feel free to use olives of your choice, however we went with pitted black olives in this recipe.

Stuffed Eggplants Tips

• Scoop out the flesh and use it! - Use the scooped out eggplant flesh for the filling and don’t throw it away!

• Pre-Bake - For this recipe, place the eggplants inner-side up on the baking sheet.

• Garnish - We recommend garnishing the eggplants to make them even more visually appealing and add some extra freshness. Garnishes such as sliced ​​olives, quartered tomatoes, freshly ground pepper, lemon juice, etc.

Ingredients

Easy - 3 to 4 servings - 50 minutes

• 2 Large Eggplants

• 4 tbsp for brushing + 1 tbsp for cooking Olive Oil

• 1 Onion, finely chopped

• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped

• 3 cloves Garlic, minced

• 225 g Mushrooms, chopped

• ⅓ cup Sliced Olives

• ⅓ cup Grape Tomatoes

• 2-3 cups Favorite Grain

• 2 tbsp Tahini

• 1 Small Lemon, juiced

• ⅓ cup Parsley, finely chopped

• 1 tsp Himalayan Salt

• 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper

**Additional for Garnish

• Tahini

• Lemon Slices

• Ground Black Pepper

• Parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put aside. Halve each eggplant lengthwise.

2. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon (save it to chop later for the filling!), leaving about ½ inch on the insides and bottoms of the eggplant halves. Place the halves on the baking sheet and brush the inside with olive oil. Season the indentations with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until tender.

3. In the meantime prepare the filling. Chop the eggplant flesh. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Once hot, add the chopped eggplant, onions, and peppers. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or two. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 6-7 minutes. Stir in olives, tomatoes, cooked grains, tahini, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

4. Now scoop the filling evenly in the eggplant halves. Bake the halves for an additional 5-10 minutes to heat through. Now garnish the eggplant halves with any toppings you like.

5. Enjoy!!!