We all know we should be doing our part to save the planet. But what does that mean when it comes to food? It can be easy to get overwhelmed with all the different eco-friendly choices. Each month, we bring you delicious, nutritious, and eco-friendly recipes that our staff members or followers love! This month’s recipe is Air Fryer Eggplant and Chickpea Salad brought to you by our very own graphic designer Jo Bert.

Healthy Air Fryer Eggplant And Chickpea Salad

On the lookout for nutritious salads? You’re in the right place! This air fryer eggplant and chickpeas salad is jam-packed with wholesome ingredients like parsley, onion, cucumber and tomatoes. The best part? It’s high in protein and fibre.

Ingredients

Eggplant, Avocado oil, Salt,  Turmeric, Chickpeas,  Parsley,  Onion, Cucumber,  Tomatoes, Lemon, Sumac

Instructions

To be honest, most of the work goes into chopping, dicing and slicing the salad ingredients. I recommend doing all that prep work beforehand or while the eggplant is air frying to make your life easier. That way, everything is ready to go for assembly.

• To begin with, cut the eggplant into small, even-sized cubes. I find it helpful first to cut the eggplant in quarters lengthwise and then slice it into small cubes.
• To release the moisture from the eggplant, place the cubes on a large plate or bowl, season with salt, and let them sit for 30 minutes. This enables the salt to draw out the moisture from the eggplant.
• After 30 minutes, you will actually notice the moisture droplets on the surface of the eggplant cubes. Use a clean dishcloth or paper towel to gently press and blot the eggplant cubes dry. This is a crucial step because if there’s too much moisture on them, they won’t air fry well – resulting in soggy eggplant.
• Now it’s time to season! Add avocado oil and sprinkle the cubes with turmeric. Then, toss to coat thoroughly.
• Next, place the eggplant in the air fryer baskets, making sure not to overcrowd the pieces. Air fry the eggplant at 400F for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking
• Once the eggplant cubes are cooked, remove them from the air fryer and place them in a large bowl.
• Now it’s time to assemble the chickpea salad. Begin by adding chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, onion, lemon and sumac to a large bowl and toss to combine.

Tips

• When preparing eggplant, cut it into small cubes so that they cook evenly and don’t get soggy.
• Season the eggplant with salt, avocado oil and turmeric (or your desired spices) for extra flavour.
• You want to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. This will help ensure that they cook evenly and get crispy. You could either send the eggplant in two batches or if you have a dual air fryer, utilize both baskets for best results.
• If you’re using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them well before adding them to the salad.
• Add fresh herbs like parsley, mint or cilantro (coriander) for extra flavour.