BBQ Eggplant Stuffed Pitas (Vegan)

These bbq eggplant stuffed pitas are the perfect vegan recipe to make this summer! This dish has all the freshest produce in season in Arizona that I got right at the farmer’s market this past weekend. I served them with an ear of corn and a side of the coleslaw that was included in the pita. It was an extremely delicious and satisfying vegan bbq dish that I highly recommend anyone to make! The coleslaw stayed fresh in the fridge for about 5 days after I prepared it, so I added it to various other dishes throughout the week for some fresh summer flavor.

fresh produce from local farmers

Al Hamka Farms: 

because eggplant is in season in the summer, I grabbed a few baby eggplants from Al Hamka Farms

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Blue Sky Farms:

I bought parsley and corn from Blue Sky Farms that were both included in the coleslaw. TIP: placing your parsley and various other herbs stem’s in at least an inch of water in a cup stored in the fridge will help your herbs stay fresher longer.

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Crooked Sky Farms:

from Crooked Sky Farms, I purchased a red onion and green cabbage that were also included in the coleslaw

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Ingredients:

for the coleslaw:

2 heads of green cabbage, shredded

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeno, cut into small pieces

1 ear of corn, removed from the cob

1/4 cup chopped parsley

for the coleslaw dressing:

2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice (from about 3 medium sized limes)

1 tablespoon tahini

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper to taste

for the eggplant:

3 baby eggplants or 1 medium-large eggplant

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup of vegan bbq sauce

6-8 inch pita breads (number depends on how many you want to make)

• I bought pitas from my local Sprouts Farmers Market

 

the process

preparing the coleslaw

1. begin by bring a large pot of water to a boil for the corn
2. remove the husk from the corn and place in the water once it is boiling
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3. boil the corn for about 5 minutes in the pot, uncovered
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4. remove the corn from the pot, set it aside, and let cool
5. remove any loose leaves from the cabbage and rinse it with water
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6. cut each cabbage in half, and remove the stem by making diagonal cuts
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7. lay the cabbage cut side down and make parallel slices to shred it
8. add the cabbage to a large bowl
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9. next, slice the red onion and add it to the bowl
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10. remove the stems and seeds from a jalapeno and dice it into small pieces (you can skip this step if you don’t want heat, or keep the seeds in the jalapeño if you want some extra!!)
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11. next, remove the corn from the cooled cob and add it to the mixture
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12. then, chop up about a half a bunch of parsley (1/4 cup) to add to the bowl
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13. combine all the ingredients well
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to make the coleslaw dressing:

1. to make the dressing, simply whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl (taste and add salt if needed)
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2. pour the dressing over the mixture until coated
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to make the broiled bbq eggplant

1. begin by setting your oven broiler to high and setting the rack about 4 inches from the top of the oven
2. remove the top and bottom of the eggplant(s)
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3. next, peel the eggplant and cut into thin circle slices, about 1/2 inch
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4. layer the eggplant on a baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil
5. broil for 5-7 minutes on one side
6. remove the tray, flip the eggplant, brush the other side with oil and broil for another 5-7 minutes
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7. next, remove the tray, brush one side with half the barbecue sauce and broil for 1-2 minutes
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8. remove the tray, flip the eggplant, brush with the remaining barbecue sauce and broil for another 1-2 minutes
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to prepare the pita

1. heat up the pita(s) in the oven for about 2-3 minutes
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2. remove the pitas from the oven, slice the tops off and open up the center
3. stuff the pita with some of the coleslaw
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4. then, layer a few of the eggplant pieces into the pita
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5. stuff the remainder of the pita with more coleslaw
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      1. you can get creative and add some more sauces or cheeses at this step if you would like! I added some goat cheese from Crow’s Dairy right from Blue Sky Farms stand.
6. now you are ready to serve with any sides that you like!
   1. the coleslaw is quite addicting and acts as a delicious and refreshing side salad.
   2. I also boil another ear of sweet corn for another side because it is prime corn season in Arizona!
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