I Eat Green

Guest: David Haight

Since joining American Farmland Trust in 2001, David Haight has worked with more than 20 local governments to establish agricultural economic development and farmland protection plans. He aids state and federal legislators as they work on agricultural and land conservation legislation and has helped coordinate projects that have permanently protected more than 4,000 acres of New York farmland.

Haight helped to author AFT’s Guide to Local Planning for Agriculture in New York and New York Agricultural Landowner Guide to Tax, Conservation, and Management Programs.

His previous work experience includes evaluating the fiscal impact of land conservation for the Vermont Land Trust and work as an outdoor educator in New York’s Catskill Mountains. He holds a B.A. in environmental studies and political science from Binghamton University, an M.S. in natural resources planning from the University of Vermont, graduated from New York’s LEAD program and serves on the Land Trust Alliance New York Advisory Committee.

Today's Recipe: Baby Eggplant Stuffed with Mediterranean Quinoa

6 servings

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Ingredients

3 Baby Eggplant (approx 8” long)

2 Tbs,Olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrots, chopped

½ organic red pepper, chopped

½ garnet yam, cut into small cubes

¼ cup currants

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup cooked chick peas

1/2 t. salt

¼ t. pepper

2 cup vegetable broth

1 ½ cup Quinoa, rinsed

¼  cup fresh parsley, chopped

¼ cup fresh dill, chopped

2 Tbs Apricot Fruit spread

¼ cup pine nuts or almonds

Procedure

Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spray with Olive oil. Cut eggplant in half, lengthwise. Lay out on cookie sheet, cut side face down, and bake for 30 minutes, until pulp is soft.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, in saucepan, sauté onions in olive oil for 3 minutes, then add carrots, sweet potatoes and garlic

Sauté until vegetables are soft, careful to prevent garlic from burning. Add chick peas and cook for 3 more minutes

Add Quinoa and vegetable broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes until all broth is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

Add parsley, dill, currants, apricot fruit spread and nuts. Gently mix, until all combined.  Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop out pulp from eggplant, creating a cavity, but leaving some vegetable behind. Fill with Quinoa mixture.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.