Feta, Garbanzo, and Eggplant Pita Sandwiches

This Mediterranean-inspired dish is a creative way to try eggplant and is completely vegetarian! The lemon juice lightens this meal, while the feta adds some creaminess. Protein and fiber are plentiful with this dish, between the chickpeas, eggplant, and whole-grain pita (if using). In total, this recipe was only $11.40 to prepare, or $1.90 per serving!

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Healthy Eating Tips from Dietitian Meghan

  • Vegetarian-Friendly Option– This recipe is completely vegetarian and can easily be made vegan if the feta is left out. The protein content from this dish comes from the chickpeas and feta (if using).  
  • Packed with Fiber – The dish is abundant in fiber between the chickpeas, eggplant, and whole-grain pita! 1 cup of raw eggplant contains about 3 grams of fiber alone! Current recommendations for daily fiber intake is at least 25 grams.
  • Eggplant – The skin of the eggplant is edible and contains much of the fiber found in eggplant. The skin can be bitter, so leaving it on vs. peeling comes down to personal preference.

Cooking Tips from Michael

  • To safely cut an eggplant, the first step is to create a flat surface. To do this, remove the stem by slicing off horizontally. Lay the eggplant cut- side down (flat surface). If peeling, begin to slice along the contour of the eggplant. If you are uncomfortable with this method, you can also use a veggie peeler. Cut the eggplant length-wise into large “steaks”. To cut down on time, you can hold the eggplant steaks together, and begin slicing downwards to create smaller strips. This will speed up the dicing process. If uncomfortable with this, you can cut into small strips by sections of the eggplant vs. the entire eggplant all at once.
  • Eggplant is a veggie that tends to be more absorbent, which means it will generally soak up a lot of oil. If you need to cook other items in oil (like onions), cook those first so you don’t end up using an excessive amount of oil. It’s also a good idea to plan to use a little extra oil compared to what the recipe calls for in case the eggplant ends up absorbing more oil than anticipated.
  • Cumin is a unique flavor and tends to be rather bold. You may want to try a small amount sprinkled on something first before using in the dish, if you’ve never had it before.
  • Toasting the pita prior to eating is recommended!

Posted on May 14, 2023. Bookmark the permalink.