Beef and veggie stuffed eggplant

This recipe can be made as a vegetarian dish, without the minced meat – just add some legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans) to the mix to make it up for the removal of the meat and then this recipe becomes even more heart healthy and really low in fat.

Nutrition rundown

• High in protein and nearly 27g per serve supports muscle repair, metabolism and satiety.
• Excellent fibre content with over 9g per serving (almost one-third of daily needs) thanks to eggplant, peppers and tomatoes.
• Moderate healthy fats mainly from extra virgin olive oil, providing heart-supportive monounsaturated fats.
• Controlled saturated fat as lean beef keeps saturated fat at a moderate level for a red meat dish.
• Rich in antioxidants from the eggplant skin, as it contains nasunin, while tomatoes provide lycopene and peppers deliver vitamin C.
• Low glycaemic impact because the high fibre and moderate carbs help slow glucose release.
• Iron & zinc source as beef provides highly bioavailable haem iron and immune-supporting zinc.
• Potassium boost from the eggplant and tomatoes, which contribute to healthy blood pressure regulation.
• Naturally gluten-free so it’s suitable for coeliac or gluten-sensitive diets.
• Mediterranean-style profile which combines lean protein, vegetables, olive oil and herbs for anti-inflammatory potential.

Ingredients

• 4 medium eggplants
• 4 spring onions
• 3 large peppers (green/red/yellow or combo) chopped finely
• 500g lean beef mince
• 4 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh oregano and basil leaves to garnish

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Cut each eggplant in half lengthways and scoop out all the inner flesh using a spoon leaving the skin and a layer of flesh – this will give 8 half eggplant shells.
3. Lightly brush the inside and outside of each eggplant shell with olive oil and set aside.
4. Cut the scooped out eggplant flesh into small pieces.
5. Add minced meat to a large frying pan and cook until the meat in completely cooked.
6. In a separate large pan, add the remaining olive oil and add the eggplant flesh, spring onions and garlic. Cook over high heat for 3 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
7. Add chopped peppers and then diced tomatoes to the pan with eggplant and continue to cook another 5 minutes.
8. Add the minced meat to the vegetable mixture and stir through.
9. Stir in oregano and season with salt and pepper.
10. Arrange the 8 eggplant shells side by side on a large baking tray and fill with cooked mince and vegetable mixture.
11. Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, until the eggplant shells are cooked through, but still hold their shape and the meat filling is cooked and hot right through.
12. Serve garnished with fresh oregano leaves.

Nutrition information

The % daily values are based on a diet of 2000 calories per day
These are approximate values.