Stuffed eggplant with toasted almonds 🍆

• 1 eggplant
• Olive oil
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of paprika powder
• Rosemary to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 broccoli stalk
• 1/2 zucchini
• 1 cup of cooked lentils
• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey
• 2 tablespoons of tahini
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
• 1 lemon
• Cilantro to taste 

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Start by cutting the eggplant in half and, using a tablespoon, scoop out the inside and set it aside. Then, place the eggplants on a glass baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt, pepper, two cloves of garlic, bell pepper, and rosemary. Bake for 15 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.

Add a few drops of lemon juice and a pinch of salt to the eggplant filling and set aside.

Chop the onion, the remaining garlic, the carrot, the broccoli stalk, the zucchini, and the eggplant filling. The idea is to cut them into very small cubes. Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil and add the onion. When it starts to soften and brown, add the carrot, broccoli stalks, zucchini, and eggplant filling. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the cooked lentils and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the tomato sauce, sweetener of your choice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning at the end. Remove the eggplants from the oven and stuff them. Place them back in the oven for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, dilute the tahini with lemon juice and a little water until liquid. Chop the almonds and toast them in a frying pan for 3-4 minutes or until lightly toasted.

Plate the eggplants, drizzle with tahini sauce, toasted almonds, and chopped cilantro. Serve well with a green salad and basmati rice.

Note: This recipe is 100% vegan, but the filling ingredients can be changed to taste. The idea is to use what you have available in the refrigerator. The tahini sauce can be replaced with yogurt sauce, or alternatively, the eggplant can be cooked with grated cheese.