For someone who loves to cook and loves veggies, I have been extra excited over the last year as I keep seeing new fair trade certified veggies pop up at local natural grocery stores and coops. From fair trade bananas to mangos, pineapples, peppers and now eggplant, I just can’t help putting them all in my cart!
This recipe really began as just throwing some of my favorite veggies together and adding a combo of spices I have come to love, cinnamon and allspice. My husband has Middle-Eastern roots and these two spices often go hand in hand bringing back memories of dishes that his grandmothers used to cook. I sometimes use Israeli couscous as a another option instead of quinoa- lots of different grains would work here.
Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 medium fair trade eggplant
1 medium fair trade yellow pepper
1 large shallot
1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
1/3 cup vegetable stock or water
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp fair trade cinnamon
Cook quinoa according to instructions. Add rinsed quinoa to 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. When finished, fluff and set aside.
Heat olive oil in large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add eggplant, yellow pepper and shallot, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sautee on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add apricot and vegetable stock or water to deglaze pan. Let cook additional 10 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Add cinnamon and allspice and mix. Finally add quinoa to pan and combine all ingredients well. Serve warm.
This makes an excellent vegetarian side dish but I have also added diced chicken and served it as a main dish for my family. Enjoy!
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