Tempeh Tuesday... Spicy Curry Indian Eggplant with Quinoa Tabouli

Hope some of you joined me for Meatless Monday yesterday! Today I am posting a recipe that I made last week that was a total hit in my house! Many people are familiar with eggplant parmesan, but often don't know what else to do with it. I like to bread and bake it, but it is wonderful peeled and simmered on the stovetop too! Indian and Italian spices and flavors are complimentary to this nutritious vegetable.

I had fresh mint left over from the Kentucky derby so I decided to do a quinoa tabouli side dish topped with some sauted tempeh. If you aren't into tempeh then tofu would do, if you aren't into either you could leave it out since quinoa is a fairly good source of protein. It would also pair well with chicken, for the meat eaters out there.

I have featured quinoa in many of my recipes recently. I like to purchase it in the bulk section of the grocery store (it's cheaper that way). If you don't find it there, look in the natural foods section or at your local co-op. If you haven't tried it yet I encourage you to try this "super grain". It is packed with nutrition and is delicious. If you aren't ready to jump on board yet, you could use a brown rice or cous cous to make this recipe and it would still come out tasty, just not as nutritious. 

I served the meal with a mixed green salad with a cucumber salad (Greek yogurt, lemon, dill, garlic, and cucumbers) to increase the volume of the meal without adding a significant amount of calories. This concept is called volumetrics and is helpful for many to control portions and their weight. 

Spicy Curry Eggplant
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1/2 cup water
Cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add eggplant, onion, curry paste, and cayenne. Stir.
3. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until eggplant is soft.

Quinoa Tabouli
Serves 4

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup dry quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 package of tempeh, diced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 
1. Place water in quinoa in a covered saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a small frying pan, add garlic and tempeh and heat thoroughly (about 2 minutes per side).
3. Once quinoa is done cooking, add lemon juice, 1 Tbsp olive oil, and herbs and stir well.
4. Serve tempeh over quinoa (can be served hot or cold)

Nutrition Facts: 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup eggplant, 2 oz tempeh
380 calories, 18 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 13 g fiber, 19 g fat (3 g saturated), 300 mg sodium