Here’s a hearty side dish for chicken or red meat; in larger portions, it’s also a great vegetarian entree. For canned salt-free chick peas, see the archive. If you can’t find them, substitute dried chick peas soaked overnight and simmered for 1 to 2 hours until tender.
Serves eight; 4 mgs. of sodium per serving
Ingredients:
- 1 small eggplant
- 3 sweet red peppers
- olive oil as needed
- freshly ground black pepper
- 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 cup salt-free chick peas
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the eggplant and peppers on a baking sheet, drizzle them with oil and sprinkle them with pepper. Roast them in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the eggplant is completely tender. Remove them from the oven and drain off any excess oil. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil to medium heat in a skillet or saute pan on top of the stove and add the garlic. Allow it to cook for a few minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Add the chick peas, stir to combine and cook for several minutes until they are warmed through. Cut the eggplant and the peppers into 1-inch pieces, put them in a bowl, add the chick pea mix and basil and stir to combine. Serve warm.