Salsa Chickpea Lettuce Wraps/ Chickpea - Eggplant Stew

This was my last vegan recipe from vegan/vegetarian week and they were suppose to be lettuce wraps, but I made a few adjustments and although the picture does not depict this I really made it into a stew and it was delicious!  It took me no time at all and the salsa’s that I used gave it a great kick.  For the non-vegan’s out there, this would be a perfect side to any meat dish.

Here is the recipe:

10 whole lettuce leaves

1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 ½ cups diced eggplant

½ cup onion or ¼ cup scallions

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (I got the kind with green chiles in it too)

8 ounces salsa

(3 Tbsp jalapeno green salsa, like Mrs. Renfros, if you want an extra kick)

15 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Stew instructions

Saute onion in olive oil (and minced garlic if you choose).  Add in eggplant, cook for about 5 -7 minutes.  Mix in chickpeas, tomatoes and salsa.  Cook for about 8 minutes.  Top with bell peppers and serve with rice or on its own.

Lettuce wrap instructions

(To make these as the lettuce wraps, leave out the eggplant and diced tomatoes, but increase the amount of salsa to 12 oz.)

Combine chickpeas and salsa in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has absorbed and the chickpeas have taken on the salsa’s color, about 8 minutes. For best results, refrigerate over night. Spoon chickpeas into lettuce leaves and top with chopped bell pepper pieces. Serve chickpeas at any temperature. (Makes about 8 wraps)

Hope you all love this one!

Stuffed,

Brittany