Divine Eggplant and Chickpeas with Mint
This summery Middle-Eastern dish was suggested by longtime Scramble fan Diana Molavi of Lutherville, Maryland, who needed to find more ways to use the mint that threatened to take over her garden.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium eggplant peeled and diced (slice the ends off the eggplant first to make peeling easy)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 15 oz. canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)(or use 1 1/2 cups home-cooked chickpeas for every 15 oz. can), drained and rinsed
- 28 oz. diced tomatoes with their liquid, or use 6 – 8 fresh tomatoes
- 1/3 cup fresh mint and/or parsley chopped
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet or medium stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, cumin, paprika, and salt, and sauté it until the eggplant starts to get tender, stirring occasionally so the eggplant does not stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and tomatoes and simmer it for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very tender. Stir in the herbs.
- Serve it immediately, topped with the cheese, if desired, or refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- Combine all ingredients except the cheese in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or on high for 3 – 4 hours. Top it with the cheese before serving, if desired. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Peel and dice the eggplant (the eggplant may turn a little brown as it oxidizes, but that’s okay since it will turn brown while cooking), combine the spices, dice the tomatoes if using fresh, chop the mint or parsley, crumble the cheese if necessary and refrigerate, or fully prepare and refrigerate or freeze the dish.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Double the cumin and paprika and use the optional feta cheese.
Tip: According to a study from the University of California, zesty spices like cumin and paprika not only boost flavor, but can also help reduce sodium intake. The research found that people who include spices and herbs into their cooking consumed, on average, 966 mg. less sodium a day than people who were simply encouraged to eat a reduced-sodium diet. When you incorporate robust flavors into your cooking, you don't need as much salt to bring out the flavors of your food.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 410, Total Fat: 16g, 25%; Saturated Fat: 5g, 26%; Cholesterol: 20mg, 7%; Sodium: 620mg, 26%; Total Carbohydrate: 64g, 21%; Dietary Fiber: 13g, 52%; Sugar: 11g; Protein: 16g
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