I used to detest Eggplant. I thought it was slimy and bitter and seedy. But eggplant is kind of like okra, you just gotta show it a little love, treat her kindly and cook her right! Then it’ll B-L-O-W your mind and the possibilities for it are endless. These days I ALWAYS either have a raw 🍆 on hand, or some prepared, leftover cooked eggplant to eat/play with.

And who doesn’t like a good sandie? Especially when it’s huge and bursting with flavor! The secret to this one, IMO, is the flavored eggplant and the pesto.

Ok, so here we go. Here’s what you will need for the eggplant:

1 eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4″ slices

2tsp garlic chili paste

2tbsp Bragg’s aminos

1/2tsp brown sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Ok,

Step 1: preheat your grill to about 400*

2. Mix the brown sugar and lemon juice into the braggs liquid aminos in a separate bowl.

3. Brush both sides of the eggplant with garlic chili paste.

4. Dip brushed eggplant into the aminos/brown sugar mixture

5. Grill eggplants for about 7-9 min on each side… i like mine a little charred on the outside so I go for a bit longer.

* this makes about 6 slices or servings, so just contain what you don’t use, pop it in the fridge and reheat in a pan/skillet for the next day!

To assemble the sandwich, just take your bread of choice. Slather both slices with this pesto, or pesto of choice. Then add your tomatoes and eggplant slice (or slices 🍆😳) on one piece of the bread. Then add the arugula (or spinach works well) on the other and weigh the leafy greens down with the avocado- it’s easier to close the sandie this way. It miiiight be a bit of a challenge to smash the sandwich together, but it’s doable AND worth it 🤤