Every so often I am walking in the grocery store and I see one hell of a sexy vegetable. One with sleek lines and great flesh that just calls out to me! If you have ever seen Edward Weston's photographs of vegetable than you will know what I am describing. Weston evoked a sensual nature in the very mundane; peppers, cabbage, and artichokes, often challenging the viewers idea of what is sexy by creating a human like quality to these inanimate objects. The results are breathtaking and today walking down the isle of my local produce store, The Farmers Market, I saw one sexy eggplant!

Eggplant is one of those items that you either love or hate. Some people just can't deal with the consistency or will only eat it fried, but grilling it provides a delightfully sweet, creamy texture and a smokiness to the skin that explodes on the taste buds. I challenge anyone who says that they don't like eggplant to throw it on the grill and see if that changes their mind.

This eggplant is dusted with Mediterranean spices - cumin, smoked paprika, ground red pepper, cinnamon, oregano, and sea salt before being grilled and topped with a crunchy sprouted chickpea, tomato, onion, garlic, and olive salad with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. I hope that you enjoy this easy and tasty weeknight meal!

Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant with Crunchy Chickpea Salad

Serves 2

1 Large Eggplant

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/4 tsp Ground Red Pepper

1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1 small Red Onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 Tomato, chopped

1 handful of olives (fresh or kalamata), chopped

1 handful of fresh herbs (I used cilantro but parsley oregano, or basil would work as well)

1/2 Lemon

1 cup sprouted Chickpeas, pan fried or roasted

Option Toppings: Greek Yogurt, Honey, and Fresh Herbs

Heat the grill. Slice the Eggplant down the center lengthwise. Coat in 1 tbs olive oil on both sides then sprinkle cumin, paprika, red pepper, cinnamon, oregano, and 1/4 tsp sea salt onto the cut sides of the eggplant. Place on the grill cut side down. Grilling until browned for 8-10 minutes and then flipping for another 5 until the eggplant is tender.

Meanwhile, prepare the crunchy chickpea salad. Put 1/2 tbs of oil into a frying pan over medium high heat. Add the chickpeas and season with a dash of salt, cumin, and red pepper, coating to toss. Pan fry until crisp on the outside. You can also roast them in the oven if you prefer. In a bowl combing the sliced red onion, garlic, tomato, olives and the herbs, leaving a little for garnish. Drizzle with 1/2 tbs of olive oil and a 1/4 of the lemon adding salt to taste. Mix the ingredients together to combine.

Taking one half of the eggplant, place on a plate. Top with the roasted chickpeas and the tomato, onion, and garlic salad. Squeeze a little lemon juice over top adding a dollop of Greek yogurt if you would like and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy and eat healthy!