Vegetable Stew with Quinoa

What do you do when you have two large eggplants waiting not so patiently in the refrigerator?  Make this super delicious Vegetable Stew!!  Sweet potato, roasted eggplant and carrots, make this dish naturally sweet.  The spices make it very Mediterranean.  And the quinoa gives it a punch of protein to keep you full all afternoon!

Vegetable Stew with Quinoa

2 large eggplants cut into 1-2 inch pieces
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Toss the eggplant with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast at 450 degrees for 25 minutes in a preheated oven.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 onions sliced into thin half moons
4 ribs of celery sliced
2 large carrots sliced into coins
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground tarragon
2 Bay leaves
1 small can of tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 sweet potato cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup quinoa
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion, celery and carrots in the olive oil for 5 minutes over medium high heat in a large soup pot.  Add the garlic and spices and cook 2 minutes more.  Add the tomato paste and a bit of water.  Cook 2 minutes.  Add the wine and cook 3-4 minutes until most of the wine has evaporated.  And the tomatoes, sweet potato, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer 15 minutes.  Add the quinoa and simmer 15 minutes more.  Add the roasted eggplant and salt and pepper to taste and cook 5 more minutes.

This is great right away, but letting it sit in the fridge for a while allows the flavours to mingle.

Enjoy!