This recipe is a great meal to cook if you’re a vegetarian beginner and your dinner-mates will think you’re a well-seasoned chef.

The other bonus is that it doesn’t take too long to make and there usually aren’t any leftovers.

Serves 4

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Ingredients

Balsamic Marinade
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Eggplant Steaks
1 large eggplant (about one pound)
1.5 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
2 medium-sized red bell peppers, roasted*, peeled, seeded, and cubed
4 ounces feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
1/2 cup pitted black olives, preferably Greek or Moroccan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or Italian parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 6.5-inch pita bread
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 bunch fresh oregano, for garnish

Directions

1. To make the Balsamic Marinade: Combine all ingredients, slowly adding the oil and stirring to combine well. Set aside.

2. Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Place a vegetable grilling rack on the grill. Or preheat the broiler.

3. To make the Eggplant Steaks: Cut the eggplant lengthwise into four 1/2-inch-thick slices to resemble steaks. Brush the “steaks” with the marinade.

4. Grill or broil the eggplant for 2 minutes on each side, or until tender but not soft. Remove from the heat, and place 1 steak on each serving plate.

5. Put the chickpeas, bell peppers, feta, olives, and oregano in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine well. Add some marinade, and stir again. Toast or grill the pita bread, cut into pie-shaped wedges, and set aside.

6. Spoon 1 to 2 scoops of the pepper-olive mixture onto each eggplant steak with some mixture pooling onto the plate. Sprinkle with vinegar, place several pita wedges on the plate, and garnish the eggplant with several sprigs of fresh oregano. Serve immediately.

* Roasting Bell Peppers: Place peppers under your broiler until the skin is charred, turning frequently, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the peppers from the broiler, place them in a paper back and close the top. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the charred skin. Slice the peppers into strip sand remove the seeds.

Per Serving: 460 calories, 18 gram protein, 16 gram fat, 65 grams carbs, 10 mg cholesterol, 1,060 mg sodium, 10 g fiber

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2″ cubes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
1.5 tablespoons curry powder, or to taste
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1″ pieces
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the eggplant and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the jalapeno pepper and curry powder, then add the cauliflower, green beans, tomatoes, stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. If a thicker sauce is desired when the vegetables are tender, use an immersion blender to break up some of the vegetables (or remove up to 2 cups of the solids and liquid from the pot, puree them in a blender or food processor, and return them to the pot.)

Per serving: 141 calories; 3 g fat; 5 g protein; 26 g carbs; 10 g fiber; 0 mg chol; 364 mg sodium