Eggplant and Green Pepper Kugel

If you're celebrating Hanukkah, this is a great vegan variation on kugel to bring to the holiday table.

The recipe called for a large, 2-pound eggplant, but I couldn't find any that big so used two slightly smaller ones instead! Pierce the eggplant with a fork several times, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before peeling and chopping - I actually had a quite a hard time peeling off the slippery skin because the eggplant underneath was so tender, so I used a combination of a knife, a vegetable peeler, and my fingers! If anyone has egggplant-peeling suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Place the chopped eggplant in a large bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (I actually used olive oil by mistake) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 cups finely chopped onion, 1 and 1/2 cups finely chopped green bell pepper, and 3 tablespoons pine nuts; cook for 6 minutes.

Add the onion mixture to the eggplant, along with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper and the equivalent of 2 eggs using egg replacer (such as Ener-G). Stir in 3/4 cup matzo meal, and toss gently until combined.

Spoon the mixture into an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with 1 teaspoon paprika, then bake at 450 degrees for 35 minutes. This recipe makes enough for 8 side servings of 3/4 cup and 140 calories each - double portions if this is your entree!

Cost:
eggplant $6.10
onion $0.85
green bell pepper $1.23
matzo meal $2.00