Vegan Stuffed Eggplant Boats

Serves 1 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cooking time: 1 hr 5 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 50g/1.8oz (1/2 cup) TVP (textured vegetable protein)
• 1/4 vegan stock cube (low sodium)
• 50g/1.8oz brown onion, chopped (1/2 medium onion)
• 100g/3.5oz mushrooms, diced
• 100g/3.5oz carrot, diced (1 medium)
• 15g/0.5oz (1/3 cup) nutritional yeast powder
• 35g/1.2oz (1 1/2 Tbsp) tomato paste
• 200g/7oz (3/4 cup) canned diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 5ml/0.17oz (1 tsp) olive oil spray
• 350g/12.3oz eggplant (1 large)
• Chopped parsley to garnish
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Optional: iodised salt

METHOD

1. Mix the stock cube with 1/2 cup of boiled water. Rehydrate the TVP mince by pouring the stock water over it in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Chop onion, mushrooms and carrot. Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the center leaving about 1cm of flesh. Chop the part of eggplant that was scooped out of the inside.
3. Heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Dry sauté onion for a couple of minutes then add TVP, carrot, chopped eggplant, mushrooms, paprika, turmeric, oregano, a pinch salt (if using) and stir for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add tomato paste and diced tomatoes, mix well and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes, and remove from heat. Squeeze some lemon juice on the filling mixture and stir.
5. Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Prepare a baking tray. Spray olive oil on both eggplant halves.
6. Pack the filling into both halves. There is plenty of filling so heap it on to form a mound on each half. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast.
7. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Once ready, garnish with chopped parsley or herb of choice and enjoy.

Macros – Carb: 47g  Fat: 8g  Prot: 44g  Calories: 436

This recipe is part of the 7-day Wellbeing meal plan