Comfort food with a twist that’s nutritious, filling and easy. Do not skip the eggplant!

Preparation time: 1 hour

What you need:

1 large eggplant cut into 1-inch (2 cm) slices

6-7 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed (if you dont have coriander, you can also use coarse pepper)

Salt and black pepper

5 carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup (200g) dried lentils (red, green or brown)

5 cups (1.2 liter) water

1/4 cup (60-70 ml) tomato juice (optional)

½ cup (100 g) orzo (you can substitute with other small pasta)

¼ cup (40g) crumbled feta

How to do it:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 Celsius). In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with olive oil and crushed coriander seeds and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden, add garlic and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.

Add tomato paste and lentils. Pour in water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to medium to low heat and simmer until lentils are almost tender. Depending on the type of lentils, this takes about 15-20 minutes.

Stir in the orzo and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add more water if too firm (or tomato juice to give it more of a tomato-ish flavor).

Season to taste with salt and pepper, add a bit chili powder. Top with the roasted eggplant pieces and a good amount of feta cheese. Serve alone or with some baguette.

Enjoy!