When the question of soluble fiber comes up in personal consultations with clients, the first vegetable that comes to my mind isn’t beans or brussel sprouts, it’s eggplant. Sure, cabbage, lentils, broccoli etc. all have a good amount of soluble fiber, but they aren’t any fun. Eggplant, now that’s a fun food! Eggplant contains about 1.5 grams of soluble fiber (that kind of fiber that is soluble in water and keeps you full and may even help control blood sugar and lower cholesterol) in 1/2 cup cooked. And it’s versatile. Don’t believe me? Google it. I did, and I found this.
Stuffed Eggplant with Quinoa and Feta
Ingredients
- 2 eggplant
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 small onion *
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped *
- ¾ cup quinoa, dry
- 1½ cups vegetable or chicken stock *
- 1 tsp. salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 T slivered almonds *
- 3 T fresh mint
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put eggplant in the baking pan and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until sot. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion (if using) and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes (until soft). Add the quinoa, stock, salt, and pepper (if not using garlic or onion, just skip to this last step first).
- Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving ¼th inch-thick border inside the skin so they hold their shape.
- Chop the eggplant flesh and stir it into the quinoa mixture in the skillet. Reduce the heat to low-medium, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, or according to the quinoa package directions, until the quinoa is cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the slivered almonds, 2 tablespoons of the mint and half the cheese.
- Divide the quinoa mixture equally among eh eggplant skins and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. Garnish with the remaining mint and serve.
Notes
* This recipe can be made low FODMAPs by omitting the garlic and onion, and using a garlic or Tuscan infused olive oil to replace regular olive oil. Vegetable stocks typically have garlic or onion, but I used a chicken stock that did not (you can see my list of options under my low FODMAPs tab, or make your own using my recipe, or you could also simply use water). Almonds contain FODMAPs but the amount in this recipe should not cause symptoms.
This recipe didn’t necessarily appeal to me at first. In fact, the reason I chose it was purely based on the fact that I had most of the ingredients at the time I was searching for a recipe. I wasn’t expecting it taste that great (i.e.: I didn’t think it would be “blog-worthy” as my husband says).
Well, since the first time I made this I have made it two more times. The first time I made it I ate it all by myself. All four halves, gone in three days. The second time I made it I brought it to a friend’s house. Yes, I shared. It felt good to share. I think they liked it. I know they liked it. Even my not-such-a-lover-of-eggplant husband loved it.
I think you’ll love it too. Enjoy!
