One of the things I like to do when the weather gets cold and my schedule gets busy is make a big batch of stew, but sometimes I don’t like eating the same meal back to back like that. My Hubs calls it fancy and I just like variety in all the ways I can get it since often I’m sitting in the same spot staring at a blinking icon on a blank page.

Hey, I have to change it up where I can!

Am I right?

Anyway I saw this vegan eggplant and walnut ragout recipe and it looked so delicious that I wanted to give it a try, but with some alterations. First off, as much as I love walnuts, the amount in this recipe would have turned it into a calorie bomb, at least for me. So I got a little creative and took this vegan eggplant ragout recipe and made two separate but totally delicious meals out of one pot of stew or ragout or however you want to call it.

It was so flavorful, the perfect fall vegan meal really. Well meals, technically and they were both wickedly delicious!

Kitchen Tools:

*Large pot
*Garlic press
*Baking mat or Parchment paper
*Sieve
*Measuring spoons

Ingredients:

*Eggplant
*Onion
*Celery
*Carrot
*Garlic (minced or pressed)
*Green lentils (rinsed)
*Green chili pepper
*Tomato paste
*Crushed tomatoes
*Tomato (fresh, diced)
*Sun-dried tomatoes (2 or 3)
*Broth or water
*Vegan meatballs (optional yet tasty)
*Thyme, oregano, sage, cumin, sweet paprika (I added a tbsp. of Jerk seasoning too)

Instructions:

*Cut eggplant in half and roast in oven (200C/400F) for about 25 to 30 minutes until tender but not soft. The cook time will depend on how big your eggplant is.

*Heat pot over medium high heat, use waste free broth or water if your goal is to make an oil free vegan recipe, otherwise use your favorite oil.

*Place lentils in sieve and rinse under cold water until it runs clear out the other side.

*Add onion, celery, carrot and chili pepper to the skillet and cook until it starts to brown and becomes fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.

*Add in garlic and fresh diced tomato. Stir and cook another 3 to 5 minutes.

*Remove eggplant and let it cool before peeling off the skin and giving it a rough chop.

*Stir in tomato paste until blended, and then lentils and enough water (3 to 1 liquid to lentil) to cook the lentils. Bring it to a boil and reduce to a simmer until lentils are soft about 15 to 20 minutes.

*Now it’s time to add the sun-dried and crushed tomatoes, along with the eggplant, herbs and spices you desire.

*Simmer and stir regularly until it’s well blended, and don’t forget to add more seasoning as needed.

For lunch, I just made it a stew with crusty bread and for dinner I added pasta.

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