Happy Monday, friends!  It’s time for another week, which means the computer is up and running and my kitchen table/desk is back into work from home mode.  I’m trying to ignore the growing pile of dishes behind me as I wait for the repair man to come look at my fully broken dishwasher, and, as usual, I’m already thinking about lunch.  I wanted to hop on and share this work from home lunch idea from last week that will maybe inspire you to roast up some eggplant to have on hand.

This recipe was inspired by one of my favorite recipes here on the blog, Garlicky Chard with Tomatoes.  I think greens and tomatoes go together so well and can work well with many different inclusions, including roasted eggplant and chickpeas.  I also had some sour cream on hand, which added that little bit of decadence to this overall healthy dish.  Considering the weather here in Southern California has been super smokey and smoggy, I’ve been craving warm comfort foods during the day, and this hit the target for my veggie forward cravings.

This recipe would also work great with some substitutions.  If you don’t have any pre-roasted eggplant on hand, feel free to cook some up in a sauté pan over medium heat with some olive oil until tender, about 20 minutes.  Alternatively, cooked mushrooms would also work great here.  Chard or kale would be a great sub for the spinach, and you can always add more beans/chickpeas for more plant-based protein.  For a healthier/vegan vibe, feel free to exclude the sour cream – it will still be delicious!  Fresh tomatoes can always be subbed out for some diced canned tomatoes as well.

Recipe down below, along with some photos!  This made enough for 1 lunch serving, which can be scaled up and served over rice or pasta for a delightful dinner.

Creamy Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Spinach

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup Roasted Eggplant with Chickpeas and Feta
  • Alternatively – ½ cup pre-cooked eggplant, ½ cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
• ½ cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Add olive oil to a large sauté pan and put the pan on the stove over medium heat.  Add the eggplant and chickpeas and cook until fully heated through, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and stir to combine.  Cook for 3-5 minutes to allow the cherry tomatoes to break down slightly and produce a light sauce.
3. Add the spinach leaves, stir to combine.  Cook until the spinach is fully wilted into the tomatoes and eggplant, about 2 minutes.
4. When the spinach has wilted, take the pan off of the heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 1 minute.  Add the sour cream and stir to combine.
5. Taste for seasoning, and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
6. Enjoy!

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