Roasted Eggplant, Spinach, Quinoa, and Feta Salad

Roasted Eggplant, Spinach, Quinoa, and Feta Salad - healthy, Mediterranean-style, gluten free recipe. It's also vegetarian, paleo, low calorie, low carb and low cholesterol, high in fiber and protein (from quinoa). Even though it's a salad, it also makes a great main dish.

Course Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 247kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

1 eggplant large, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
10 ounces spinach fresh
1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
¼ cup Feta cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 420 F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Grease the sheet lightly with olive oil.
In a large bowl, mix cubed eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread chopped eggplant over the lightly greased baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes (or more, depends on your oven) until eggplant softens. Midway through roasting, take out the sheet and flip over eggplant cubes to the other side using spatula - that will help even out the roasting.
While eggplant is being roasted, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, add spinach and 1 minced garlic clove and cook for a couple of minutes, constantly stirring, just until spinach wilts. Remove from heat.
Once eggplant is done, immediately remove it from the baking sheet into the same skillet with spinach, off heat. Immediately add quinoa and second clove of minced garlic. This will allow cooked eggplant to release some juices when mixed in with quinoa. Mix everything well, off heat, and season with more salt if needed. Don't add too much salt or omit it altogether as you will be using Feta cheese too. Top with Feta cheese.

Nutrition