Eggplant Chickpea Stew

Your homework isn't finished. You have no desire to finish it or move from the vicinity of your bed. But you're hungry, like really hungry, so you fight your laziness and run to the grocery store and grab a few things. Within 40 minutes, dinner is ready. It's not really "cooking" it's more like chopping some things and throwing them into a pot. Your effort is rewarded with a hearty, soul-warming stew that'll satisfy any hungry stomach. The vegetables become soft and tender, and a thick spicy tomato sauce acts as the perfect liquid for them to soak up. "Cooking" is easy. It's your homework that's harder.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 2 (or 1 with amazing leftovers)

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1/2 of an eggplant, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 leek, sliced into rounds
1/2 a zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
8 ounce canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 jalapeño pepper (optional)
1 can chickpeas, (garbanzo beans)
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:

1. Coat the bottom of a pot with olive oil. Heat on medium high heat, until hot. Add the eggplant to the oil, toss in the oil and let sit until it starts to get tender, about 3 minutes, then add the onion and the garlic.
2. Sauté until the onions begin to soften. Add both the leeks and zucchini to the pot and toss all the vegetables together. Add more oil if extra lubrication is needed. Cook until the zucchini are warm and the vegetables begin to brown.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth and stir until a cohesive thick mixture forms. Thinly chop the jalapeño and add it to the broth.

Photo by Amanda Shulman

4. Bring the mixture down to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until bubbling. Add the chickpeas (drained) and stir them into the stew. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the thyme leaves.
Cook 5 more minutes and then add the fresh spinach leaves into the pot. Stir so the leaves wilt. Serve with crusty bread and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

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