Baked Eggplant With Lentils and Tomatoes

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

I find my oven use goes up drastically when the weather dips, and there is just something cozy about baking casseroles this time of year. A whole bunch of your favorite items mixed into one dish coming out of the oven piping hot is a true comfort meal on chilly evenings. Casserole recipes are quite convenient to have on hand during the holiday months as well when you may be hosting extra house guests for a few days. Who wants the added stress of preparing a main dish with several sides when you can get everything packed into one dish easy peasy? When I have extra bodies in the house, I'll choose the easiest route for getting dinner on the table every time. I've made this Baked Eggplant with Lentils and Tomatoes (a Golden Blossom Honey recipe) several times this summer and each time thought it would carry well into the colder months, but would also work during the holidays, too. 

 

I admit that I'm not great with using eggplant often unless it's grilled, so I love to find new and tasty recipes to utilize it in more often. Roasting with the seasoning, I'd eat the eggplant cubes as is, but the smoky flavor really made the casserole pop. I use lentils often, with one of my favorite ways to include them in recipes is as a substitute for beef when I make vegetarian shepherds pie or veggie burgers, but this casserole was another fantastic way to add them into meal rotation. I did question whether cheddar cheese was the right cheese for this dish, simply because I probably would have used mozzarella or swiss if I were improvising this meal, but I'd agree that the cheddar was a great choice. Overall, this is a wonderful casserole dish, whether you're wanting it for a cold weather comfort food or for filling a need to feed extra guests. A perfect vegetarian option all around! 

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 leek, halved lengthwise, rinsed and thinly sliced

3 large carrots, diced

2 cups tomato juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

3/4 cup dried lentils, cooked according to package directions and drained

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

What's your favorite casserole?