Roasted Eggplant with Miso Lemon Basil Sauce

On my trip to the farmers market earlier this week I stumbled upon a basket of "ugly" eggplant. These babies weren't getting purchased because apparently they aren't as beautiful as the others. Well I decided to grab a bunch because truth be told there was nothing ugly about these guys.

With no recipe in mind I opened up my fridge and pulled out some miso(a household staple),I had a lemon on hand and some basil I bought at the market and thought ‘here goes nothing’. My favorite way to cook is freestyle, I love to just put on some music and play in the kitchen so this was a perfect opportunity.

Before we get into the recipe let’s dig into a few health benefits. In addition to the benefits of eggplant this sauce adds a powerful punch. Miso contains all essential amino acids making it a complete protein, in addition it restores beneficial probiotics, aids in digestion and is high in antioxidants. Not to mention the detoxifying properties of lemon and basil.

Roasted Eggplant with

Miso Lemon Basil Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 small eggplants, halved

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil

• 2 T miso paste

• 2 T lemon juice

• 1/4 cup basil leaves, loosely packed

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/8 cup water

• 2 T hemp seeds, optional

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place the halved eggplants on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place eggplant in the oven and let cook for 25-30 minutes, until softened.

Meanwhile, place the miso, lemon juice, basil (set aside a few leaves for serving)and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, slowly drizzle in water until desired consistency.

Remove eggplant from the oven and drizzle with sauce, top with basil leaves and serve.

Optional - add hemp seeds for added protein to make this a perfect meatless monday meal.

Enjoy!!!

xo,

Lauren Courtney