Vegetarian stuffed eggplant

Over the last few weeks, cooking has been taking over my life. And by cooking I mean experimenting with random ingredients way past midnight instead of going to sleep. It's done little to help my under-eye bags or to to help me wake up for work in the morning, but you know what? I've made some delicious food so that's probably all that matters.

I put this together because I was craving cheese like a crazy person (what else is new) and I really needed to use up some eggplant in the fridge. It turned out really tasty and I had enough of the filling left over to use for a third eggplant for my aunt the next day. And she sincerely enjoyed it, thank you very much.

Ingredients:

• 3 small eggplants
• 1 tomato
• 1 onion
• 3 mushrooms
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella and parmesan
• Dry basil
• Salt and Pepper
• Arribiata spices (optional)
• Butter

1. Pre-heat oven to 300F.
2. Cut the tips off the eggplant and slice them in half. Scoop out the insides and save them in a bowl.
3. Brush the insides of the eggplant with oil and place in the oven.
4. Cut up your vegetables: dice your onion, tomato, and garlic. Chop up the insides of the eggplant. Slice your mushrooms.
5. Toast the pine nuts in a pan until they are slightly browned. Add ghee/butter and throw in the onion and garlic.
6. Add mushrooms and let them cook for about 2 minutes, or until they look fairly soft. 
7. Turn heat to medium and add tomatoes, eggplant insides and chickpeas. After 5 minutes, turn heat to low. Add lid and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Remove eggplant from the oven and start filling them with the tomato chickpea mix. 
9. Cover in cheese and place them back in the oven for about 10-15 minutes to let the cheese melt. 

They still tasted great re-heated the next day, with some pomegranate seeds, carrots, blueberries and a banana for lunch!