Marinated Eggplant Bowl

When sliced thin and marinated in a blend of soy sauce, sesame oil, honey and more, the eggplants get super jammy and soft when roasted. This bowl is a great way to get your veggies in and makes a great meal prep!

• Sarah Gorman

Ingredients

• 5 small-medium eggplants, sliced thin lengthwise

• 2 cups rice

• 1 bunch of kale, chopped

• 1 bunch hakuri turnips with greens on, diced (turnips) & chopped (greens and stems)

• 2 sweet peppers, diced

• 1 cucumber, diced

• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped

• Sesame seeds for topping

• 1 lb ground beef (or other protein)

• Marinade:

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce

  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar

  • 4 tablespoons sesame oil

  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes

  *These ingredients can be found at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market

Method

1. Slice eggplants 1/4” thick lengthwise and lay in a shallow baking dish. Prepare marinade and pour half over the eggplants. Stir to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight flipping at least once so each layer gets a chance to soak in the marinade.

2. Combine diced peppers, cucumber, and turnips and coat with the remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

3. Cook rice your preferred way and set aside.

4. Brown the ground beef and set aside.Steam chopped kale and turnip greens (you can skip this step if you like raw greens, my tummy prefers them steamed).

5. Remove marinated eggplant from the refrigerator, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, line up the eggplant in a single layer on the baking sheet. Broil on low for 15-20 mins, checking every few minutes to make sure nothing is burning. Flip halfway through. Eggplant should be soft and slightly charred.

6. Assemble bowls with rice, greens, beef, eggplants, and marinated veggies. Top with cilantro and sesame seeds. Enjoy!