Roasted eggplant, lentil, and feta salad

All the spices.

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• Best for: lunch for 1, side salad for 2-3

• Difficulty: easy

• Time: 30-40 minutes

• If you like this, try... Charred zucchini with feta

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This easy non-salad salad is one of my favorite things to eat right now. The forty minutes between deciding I really want food and actually getting to eat it is, I promise, worth the wait. The heavy spices in this dish are perfect with the light feta and creamy roasted eggplant and lentils. Consider oregano or paprika if you prefer different flavors. You can marinate the lentils for up to a day ahead if you'd like, and the flavor will be even better.

Ingredients

1/2-1 cup cooked lentils

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

4 cups raw eggplant, chopped into 1-inch cubes (approx 1/2 of a medium sized eggplant)

1 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

salt

pepper

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Optional: harissa (red curry paste), parsley

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First...

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix prepared cooked lentils with lemon juice and vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Let sit, covered in fridge.

Then...

Toss eggplant on a foil-lined sheet pan with olive oil, garlic, thyme, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper to taste.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden.

Heat marinated lentils in a skillet or microwave for 30 seconds.

Toss with eggplant and plate, top with feta. Add harissa, parsley, red pepper flakes, whatever you might like.