Instagram-Worthy Roasted Eggplant and Chickpeas...Featuring Pearl Barley and Feta #eatyourveggies #meatlessmonday #plantbasedmeals

Today, I'm featuring a new post from 's Contributor Elaine Griffiths. Elaine is sharing a healthy, delicious eggplant and barley salad that's perfect for Meatless Monday. It's simple enough for a weeknight family dinner...but the addition of feta and pomegranate arils makes it an elegant dinner party entree too! This post may contain affiliate links.

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If you're tired of healthy food that tastes boring, you're not alone! Most people would rather chow down on a juicy burger than something as spartan as a chickpea and pearl barley salad. That has nothing to do with the food itself...and everything to do with how it's prepared. Most people know that to make meat taste good, you can cook it on a BBQ grill to sizzle away...then add it to a fresh, soft bun with a flavorful condiment. It's a magical combination! The same approach can be taken to transform ordinary pearl barley from a dull grain to big-flavor taste sensation!

It turns out that with a bit of know-how, you can work miracles on this healthy grain! Simply combine cooked pearl barley with roasted eggplant, chickpeas, and feta...and a few other key ingredients...and you have a veritable taste sensation on your hands!

If you read HelloFresh Reviews, you'll find people waxing lyrical about the food delivery company's roasted aubergine/eggplant and feta salad. Granted, this salad takes about 40 minutes to prepare. However, it's low in salt, sugar, and calories...making it a perfect healthy weeknight meal.

If you've never tried roasted veggies -- especially roasted eggplant -- you're missing out! The roasting process completely changes the taste profile of the eggplant. Boiled eggplant is nothing to write home about, but add a drizzle of olive oil and some seasonings. Then, you have something that tastes rich, flavorful, and utterly delicious. It's doesn't feel like you're eating veggies at all. Combine the roasted eggplant with a handful of other fresh ingredients, and you end up with something quite remarkable. How do you make a healthy roasted eggplant and chickpea meal that serves four people? Easy...just make the following recipe! If you're not familiar with the harissa paste called for in the ingredients, it's a North African hot chili pepper paste. Harissa is made with roasted peppers, spices, and herbs.

Roasted Eggplant and Chickpeas...Featuring Pearl Barley and Feta

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-size eggplants
• 1 tbs. ground cumin
• 1 tbs. harissa paste
• 8 ounce container cherry tomatoes
• Juice of one medium lemon
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 5 ounce bag fresh baby arugula
• 1 1/4 cup dry pearl barley
• 8-ounce block feta cheese
• \1 bunch cilantro
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
• 2 14-ounce cans of chickpeas
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400℉. Bring 2.5 cups of water to the boil in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Add the bouillon and pearl barley to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to med-low, cover, and simmer for around 30 minutes -- until the barley is tender.

Next grab two baking trays for the eggplant, tomatoes and sweet potato. Chop each vegetable into whatever shape you prefer -- but remember the larger you cut them, the longer they'll take to cook. Drizzle the chopped veggetables with a small amount of olive oil and salt & pepper. Pop the trays into the preheated oven.

Drain the chickpeas and wait for the vegetables to roast and the barley to cook. Once all of the ingredients are cooked, add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped cilantro, cumin, harissa paste, lemon juice, and salt & pepper.

Before serving, garnish with crumbled feta, arugula, and pomegranate arils. Finally, squeeze a little extra lemon juice over the top -- and you're ready to serve. This beautiful dish is delicious and easy...and healthy too!

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