Ingredients
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3 medium eggplants
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6 tbsp olive oil
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2 tsp fresh thyme
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1 (8.8 oz) pkg Nature's Promise free from brown rice
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1/4 cup blanched whole almonds
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1/2 cup fresh mint
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1/2 tbsp minced garlic
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1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
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1 fresh red chile
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1 lemon
Steps
1
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Halve the eggplants lengthwise. Cut diagonal slits into the flesh of each eggplant in both directions, making a crisscross pattern. Be sure not to cut through the skin. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Drizzle 4 tbsp olive oil over eggplant and sprinkle with thyme. Season with salt (in moderation) and pepper. Roast for 40 min., until eggplants are soft.
2
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions. Roughly chop almonds. In a small skillet, toast the almonds 3 min., until golden brown, stirring often. In a medium bowl, with an immersion blender, purée the mint leaves with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Combine the minced garlic and Greek yogurt and season with salt (in moderation) and pepper.
3
Spoon the yogurt mixture over the eggplant halves, along with the mint oil and toasted almonds. Remove stem and seeds of the chile pepper and slice it. Sprinkle chile slices over eggplant. Halve the lemon and squeeze over eggplant. Serve with the rice.
