Friday, August 10, 2012

Italian-Seasoned Veggie Stuffed Eggplant



This recipe came to be last night when I was enjoying some time at home alone.  It still makes me laugh that I like to cook so much now!  Anyone who has known me longer than a few months will know that this is a complete 180 for me.  I put on music from The Current (awesome commercial-free radio station from Minneapolis), looked through my fridge for what random ingredients I could pull together, and went to town.  The whole dish is less than 400 calories and it generously serves 2 people.  Trust me, you'll be full and satisfied, with a boost of energy from all the nutrients!  I really liked this one....mmmmmmm :-) 

Ingredients

  • 1 medium eggplant
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
  • 1 cup chopped yellow squash or zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • dried basil, to taste
  • dried oregano, to taste
  • crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
  • freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp capers (optional)
  • zero-calorie cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250° (convection) or 300° (regular oven).
  2. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise; remove pulp, leaving a 1/4-in.-thick shell.
  3. Chop pulp; place in a colander over a plate. Sprinkle with freshly ground sea salt; let stand for 30 minutes. Blot moisture with a paper towel after 30 minutes.
  4. Chop rest of veggies. 
  5. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Add all the veggies except the tomatoes; saute for 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the tomatoes, dried thyme and capers, sprinkle with black pepper, basil, oregano and pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute.
  6. Divide mixture evenly between the eggplant shells. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 250° for 30-35 minutes or until shells are tender. Yield: 2 servings.

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