Eggplant cannelloni with pine nut romesco sauce recipe

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced lengthwise ½-inch thick
• 2–3 tablespoons water
• 2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 4 cloves garlic
• 8 ounces baby spinach
• No-salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste, or 1 tablespoon Dr. Fuhrman’s VegiZest
• 1 cup cooked quinoa, Kamut, barley, spelt, or brown rice
• 2 cups no-salt-added or low-sodium pasta sauce
• 3 ounces nondairy, mozzarella-type cheese, shredded

• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ tomato, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• ½ cup roasted red peppers
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a nonstick baking pan. Arrange eggplant in a single layer in the pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until eggplant is flexible enough to roll up easily. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons water in a large pan, add the bell pepper, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté until just tender, adding more water if needed. Add the spinach and VegiZest or other no-salt seasoning blend, and cook until spinach is wilted. Add the cooked quinoa.
3. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Mix in 2–3 tablespoons of the pasta sauce and all of the shredded cheese. Spread about ¼ cup of the pasta sauce in a baking pan. Put some of the vegetable mixture on each eggplant slice, roll up, and place in the pan. Pour remaining sauce over the eggplant rolls. Bake for 20 minutes, until heated through.
4. To make romesco sauce, sauté the onions, garlic, and tomatoes in a little water or white wine until the onions are translucent, add chili powder, and sauté an extra minute. Put onion mixture in a high-powered blender with the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Serve eggplant with a drizzle of romesco sauce.