Nothing is working very well these days. I’ve been sleeping without sheets or clothes, and waking up to air already as thick as honey. The heat encroaches like an ungainly monster and sits, taunting, waiting for me to throw up my hands and admit defeat. Consider these hands officially thrown—I have nothing left to give in this battle, though I did purchase a new AC as a last ditch attempt to cool myself back to sanity. It arrived last night, so only time will tell.
Meanwhile, I did the unthinkable: I turned on my oven. Even worse: I turned on my oven to make a salad! What on earth was I thinking? Here’s what: This salad is gorgeous, versatile, and absurdly easy to prepare.
Can you slice vegetables? Yes. Can you sprinkle salt? Yes. Can you use your blender? Also yes. Then boom, you’ve got all your need to make this salad.
Its flexibility means you can eat it on its own, or paired with a pasta (and some creamy chèvre or feta, as you like), protein, or grain. It’s every dinner’s dream beginning, and it takes next to no time to prepare. You’ll forget your oven was ever on, I promise.
The recipe also introduces my favorite method of tenderizing eggplant, so that you get creamy and delicious instead of tough and chewy (ew, let’s never talk about eggplant like that again). All it takes is a few pinches of sea salt, a few extra minutes, and a paper towel. You’ll be over the moon with the results, and can use this technique for all future eggplanting endeavors. You’re welcome.
Find the recipe for this salad on this week’s Intuitive Eating with Kale & Caramel on Sonima.
Roasted Eggplant & Zucchini Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Roasted Eggplant & Zucchini
- 2 small-medium zucchini
- 2 small-medium eggplants
- 1/4 cup + olive oil
- 1 teaspoon + sea salt
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
Basil Vinaigrette & Toppings
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 tomato sliced (or few cherry tomatoes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºWash and trim the ends off zucchini and eggplant. Slice lengthwise, about 1/4″ width. Lay slices on two baking sheets.
- Sprinkle a few pinches of salt over eggplant only, and rub in. Let sit 5-10 minutes, then gently squeeze water from eggplant with paper towel. Replace on baking sheet.
- Drizzle veggies with olive oil, sprinkle zucchini only with sea salt, crack pepper over all.
- Roast veggies for 10 minutes, then remove eggplant that is done and let zucchini roast 3-5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool.
- For the dressing, add basil, olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt to a blender and blend until the basil is in small flecks.
- Assemble salad by tossing roasted veggies with slices of tomato. Drizzle with dressing, to taste.
- Enjoy on its own, with a grain or bread, or as a topping for any pasta.
