Eggplant used to CREEP ME OUT. It’s slimy, it’s weirdly undercooked and inedible if you don’t cook it long enough, and there aren’t a ton of ways that I know of to make it super tasty. Eggplant parmesan…good. Babaganoush…good. Eggplant anything else…unsure. Until I had miso eggplant from a local sushi spot. We went there with friends and she said she wanted to order it. I felt unsure of that choice, but since I trust my friend, I also trusted her menu choices. And holy balls – miso eggplant is SO GOOD. At the restaurant, they deep fry it so it’s even more delicious, but this way is incredible easy, and so damn delicious. You’re gonna love it. If you don’t, you may just hate eggplant. Like the old me did. The old, big bummer me.
The other day I was thinking about foods I really dislike and I think the only thing I still am not a fan of is garbanzo beans. It’s a texture thing. And a bloating of the gut thing. Give me any other bean and I’ll be happy. But garbanzo beans? Garbanzo beans can go to hell. Wait…except when they are in my Chickpea Blondies. Those are VERY good. It’s weird because texture isn’t a deal breaker for me normally. I’m good at eating all textures. The more, the better. But garbanzo beans, whether they are fresh out of the can or toasted up, are stupid. If you can show me a way to love them, please do.
But enough about food textures. Have you started the new season of Working Moms? I’m HERE FOR IT. This season is gooooood. We’ve been crushing it with watching shows. Ted Lasso, Dave, Below Deck, and Working Moms are keeping me thriving at night. Meditating in the morning then zoning out at night is my daily go-to. While you’re teaching me how to like chickpeas, can you also teach me about another new show to zone out to at night? I appreciate you and your beautiful time.
Eat Your Veggies – Miso Eggplant
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggplant, cut in half lengthwise
- avocado oil spray
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili onion crunch
- 2 tablespoons chopped cashews or peanuts
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut eggplant in half and cut the eggplant at a diagonal, making sure to not pierce through the skin then repeat going in the opposite direction, creating small squares throughout the eggplant. Spray eggplant with avocado oil spray and sprinkle with a small amount of salt. Place in the oven to bake for 35 minutes.
- While the eggplant cooks, in a bowl whisk together miso, maple syrup, mirin, rice wine vinegar, and chili onion crunch.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add chopped cashews or peanut along with the sesame seeds and cook until slightly brown and fragrant. Set aside.
- When the eggplant is done cook, remove from oven and turn oven on broil. Use a basting brush to brush the miso mixture on top of each eggplant. Place back in the oven to cook for 5 more minutes.
- Top eggplant with toasted nuts and seeds before serving!
What I Used to Make This Recipe:
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You May Also Like:
Asian Glazed Five Spice Pork Tenderloin
Sweet & Spicy Pineapple Pork Chops
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Abbott Elementary. So. Funny.
You also like hummus made from chickpeas! ☺️