Moroccan Quinoa Stuffed Aubergine

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• 2 large aubergines, halved
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 14 oz crushed tomatoes (400 ml)
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne
• Pinch cinnamon
• ½ cup vegetable broth (110 ml)
• 3.5 oz dry quinoa (100 g)
• ¾ cup cooked chickpeas (120 g), drained & rinsed
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup raisins (35 g)

Lemony Yogurt Sauce

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 6 tbsp soy yogurt, unsweetened
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Garlic powder (optional)

Topping

• Fresh parsley (optional)
• Sesame seeds
• Tahini

Cooking Instructions

Step 1- Bake the Aubergines

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F (180° C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Scoop out the center part from each aubergine half using a spoon. Make sure to leave a ½ to 1-inch border around the skin so the aubergine stays sturdy enough to hold the filling well.
3. Reserve the flesh in a sealed container in the fridge since it is perfect for veggie stir-fries or dips. Alternatively, you can also use the flesh in point 1 of step 2 below while making the filling.
4. Arrange the aubergine halves onto the baking tray and place in the oven to roast for around 10-15 minutes until slightly soft.

Step 2- Make the Filling

1. In the meantime, combine the onion, carrots, aubergine flesh (optional), cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, cinnamon and a splash of veggie broth in a non-stick pan and place it over medium heat.
2. Cook while stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add water, as needed, to prevent the veggies from sticking to the pan.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth and rinsed quinoa. Season with salt and pepper (as per taste), and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, and then let it simmer for around 12 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed most of the liquid.
4. To avoid burning, stir it occasionally once the mixture thickens. Don’t worry if the quinoa is not cooked yet, it will cook in the oven.
5. Remove from heat and add the chickpeas, raisins and parsley.

Step 3- Assemble the Stuffed Aubergines

1. Remove the aubergine halves from the oven and fill each aubergine half with ¼ of the mixture from the pan.
2. Return your baking tray to the oven to roast for around 15-20 more minutes until the aubergines are tender and the quinoa filling is soft and bubbly.
3. While the stuffed aubergines are roasting in the oven, whisk all ingredients for the lemony yogurt sauce together in a small bowl.
4. Once the aubergines are done, drizzle some lemony yogurt on each one and top with sesame seeds and parsley. Serve it hot and crispy and enjoy!

Nutritional Info

• Calories: 329
• Carbohydrates: 69 g
• Fiber: 15 g
• Protein: 11 g
• Sugar: 26 g
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Sodium: 300 mg