Sautéed Vegetables & Chickpeas in Balsamic Stew (Vegan, Gluten Free)

This dish has a Mediterranean flair with the heavy hand of olive oil and vegetables tossed with chickpeas and lentils in a balsamic vinaigrette. 

A simple dish to prepare that just requires cutting and tossing for a tangy meal. What's more is that the eggplant and mushrooms add a meaty texture to the meal, so is perfectly suited for your carnivorous guests making it a hearty meal. This dish  yields a lot of servings, so if you have a big crowd, this is the dish to prepare. As a side dish, you can serve it with warm Tuscan bread on a salad plate or can even be served as a light lunch. This recipe is an adaption of Suzie Fishbein’s Kosher By Design: Short on Time.

A Note about the Beans:

If you don't have a can of lentil you can always use 1 cup dried lentils in 3 cups of water in already boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer and cover for 30 minutes. Drain and use.

If you don't have a can of chickpeas, prepare ¾ cup dried chickpeas; soaked overnight or boil them for an hour for shortcut version. Remove outer layer; drain and rinse.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

½ cup olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 eggplant, unpeeled and cubed

1 medium yellow squash, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

1 zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

3 portabella mushroom caps, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 (15 ounce) can lentils, washed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, washed and drained

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon paprika

Directions

                       1      Soak the eggplants in a container of cold water with 2 tablespoons salt for 20 minutes. Drain, rinse, pat dry and set aside.

                      2      In large saucepot, heat oil over medium high heat. Sauté onion until it turns into a pinkish hue.

                      3      Add all ingredients; eggplant, squash, zucchini, mushrooms, red pepper, lentils, and chickpeas. Stir, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

                      4      Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika; stirring to combine with all the ingredients. Check for doneness if vegetables are tender, if not then cook simmered for another 10 minutes.