Baked Applesauce Stuffed Eggplant with Turkey Bacon, Tomatoes, and Black Eyed Peas

As I sit here writing this blog entry, I am also eating my new creation and smiling to myself. I have never cooked with eggplant before and therefore had no idea the little idea in my head would pan out so well. But it's super yummy!

Also, I did not follow the under 200 calorie rule as I promised last night, but we still did ok. This one is definitely an impress your guests recipe, but it's great for a light weekend brunch as well. And despite the turkey bacon, it's packed with nutrients.

Here's the lowdown on what you'll need.

• 1 eggplant
• 1 cup black eyed peas (canned is fine, unless you want to soak beans the night before)
• 3 slices Wellness Farms turkey bacon (sold at Whole Foods. It's the healthiest brand out there.) 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce 
• 1 teaspoon spicy olive oil (as always, I use Plato's)
• 1 medium tomato
• Tony Chachere's Creole More Spice Seasoning, to your taste.



Hollow out.



Don't worry about the seeds. 

• 2 slivers goat cheese (this is optional. I like to buy it fresh from Whole Foods, but if you're only going to be using it for this recipe, getting a block is a pain in the ars.) 

Start cooking:

Preheat your oven to 425. 

Then, slice your eggplant vertically. Lie each side on its back and make knife slits in the middle. Spoon out all of the inside in smaller portions, so it looks like picture. Boil the inside on high while you prepare the rest. 

Spicy and sweet combo = yum

Drizzle a half teaspoon olive oil onto each eggplant half. Add 1/4 cup of apple sauce to each half. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes. 

Dice your tomatoes and cut your bacon into small pieces. 

While the eggplant cooks, add the 3 slices of turkey bacon to a pan and cook for 5 minutes on medium/high. If the stove is turn up too hot, the bacon will burn; careful! 

Add the the boiled eggplant and the tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup water so the mixture doesn't dry out, then top with the Tony's seasoning. Cook this all together for 5 minutes.

Add the black eyed peas and let it all simmer for another 5 minutes. Add more Tony's!

By this time, your eggplant halves should be ready. Get those out of the oven, and reduce the oven temp to 350. Scoop the turkey bacon and veggie medley into the eggplant shells. Top each with a sliver of goat cheese and pop those babies back into the oven for another 10 minutes.

The final product! Other eggplants are jealous.

Sit and wait anxiously as your final product bakes. It's best to enjoy it while hot. If you're brining it to a party, however,  cover it with foil, and put it in the oven at 350 for 3 minutes when you get to your destination.


The calorie roundup:
1 cup black eyed peas - 180 calories
1 eggplant small - 120 calories
3 slices Wellness Farms turkey bacon - 120 calories
1/2 cup apple sauce - 60 calories
1 teaspoon Plato's oil - 40 calories
1 medium tomato - 22 calories
2 slivers goat cheese - 20
______________________
281 calories per serving (1 stuffed eggplant half)

Questions? Comments? Tried it and liked it? Didn't come out quite right? As always, holler!

Happy eating and happy reading, yall