Lunch: Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

This tasty vegetarian entrée gets its unique flavor from the combination of garlic, onions and spices. These help you maximize flavor without adding as much salt.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium yellow onions, 1 diced and 1 sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound eggplant, cubed
2 cups canned no-salt-added chickpeas
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt added diced or chopped tomatoes
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro

Instructions

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onions and garlic, and cook until onions are soft. Stir in the eggplant, chickpeas, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cover the pot. Cook the stew for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until eggplant is very tender.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and add onion slices. Fry until golden, and remove from heat. When stew is finished, place in serving bowls and top with fried onions and cilantro.