MMMM...Mixed Vegtables

So usually I go grocery shopping every two weeks. One week we eat meals that I planned and the next is gathering the scraps together to somehow make a meals happen. Together this creates a balance of both following instructions and being creative. Last week I had an eggplant, 2 carrots, onions, bell pepper and about 10 mushrooms. Looking at my ingredients I realized that if I put all my veggies together I could make something happen.

Now my sister-in-law makes this amazing eggplant dip that I thought I could attempt making, she was on vacation (LUCKY!) so asking her was not an option and that put me and my taste buds to a different kind of challenge. Duplicating the "famous" dip would be just as hard as attempting those restaurant dishes we swear we could make at home, so I knew I was in trouble.

Here it is, not as good but just as enjoyable.

Ingredients:

1 Eggplant
1 Bell Pepper
1 Onion
2 Carrots
10 Mushrooms
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
6 Cloves Garlic
Cilantro

Directions:

Saute each veggie separately with a little olive oil to coat the pan. Using the 2 tbsp of oil add the garlic just until sizzle. Once that is done, place every thing back in the pan and to your own preference add Coriander, Cayenne, Brown Sugar, Salt and Pepper. Once it is seasoned add about 1-2 tbsp of vinegar or fresh lemon juice, I used White Wine Vinegar but any will do. This seemed to blend the dish together nicely. The cilantro adds freshness towards the end and I personally love any cilantro ending.

After that was done we grilled some Chicken burgers and french bread (that's all we had but buns would work too) and added some mayo and tomato. This created a meal that was simple but had a lot of flavor and put a new healthy twist on "Burgers".

My hope for this week is that you can try this for you and your family and if not at least try to see potential in that empty fridge of yours because for me that's when its the most rewarding.

Rewarding, hope.