Recipe courtesy of Coco Harris of operagirlcooks.com
An eggplant called out to me at the grocery store today. Shiny and heavy for its size, it was destined for glory in my kitchen. What would become of it, I wasn’t quite sure, but I knew it’d be good! I’d already satisfied rule #1 of healthy cooking — quality, fresh ingredients always yield the best results.
Once I got my prize home and onto the cutting board, I inspected the contents of my refrigerator. A container of leftover brown rice caught my eye, and a recipe coalesced in my head — I would hollow out the eggplant, saute its spongy insides along with some other vegetables, and stuff the eggplant halves with the sauteed veggies and brown rice. Topped with cheesy, cripsy breadcrumbs, this is a decadent-tasting recipe full of healthy ingredients.
Ingedients:
- 1 medium-sized eggplant
- 1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 small (4 oz) zucchini, diced
- 1 medium yellow pepper, diced
- 1 C. cooked short-grain brown rice
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Italian Herb Garlic Gold® Nuggets
- 1 small (1 oz) slice whole wheat sourdough bread, processed into breadcrumbs
- 1 oz (1/4 C.) grated parmesan cheese
1. Halve the eggplant, then scoop out the insides with a melon baller or tablespoon, leaving 1/4? of flesh. Place hollowed out halves in a 9? square baking dish and set aside.
2. Coarsely chop the eggplant flesh.
3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium flame. Add the onions, and cook until translucent and softened.
4. Add the eggplant and salt to the skillet, cooking until eggplant softens and is no longer opaque.
5. Add the zucchini and diced pepper to the skillet, cooking until softened.
6. Transfer sauteed vegetables to a medium mixing bowl, then add the brown rice, vinegar, and Garlic Gold® nuggets. Stir until everything is combined.
7. Preheat oven to 400F.
8. In a small bowl, mix the sourdough breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese together.
9. Scoop the vegetable mixture into the eggplant halves, then top them with the breadcrumbs and cheese, patting it down to form an even crust. Bake for 25 minutes.
If you liked this recipe, you’ll love these products:
- Garlic Gold® (nuggets in oil)
- Garlic Gold® Sea Salt Nuggets
