Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper
• 2 medium eggplants
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt-free lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash® seasoning blend
• 1 cup stewed tomatoes
• 2 cups water

Preparation

1. Peel and crush garlic clove. Chop green pepper and finely dice onion. Peel eggplant, slice lengthwise and cut into pieces.
2. In a nonstick skillet, heat oil and sauté crushed garlic and green pepper. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same oil, sauté eggplant on both sides until browned. Remove and set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix ground beef with onion and spices. Make 30 small meatballs.
5. Brown meatballs (without using oil) at low temperature in the nonstick skillet.
6. Add sautéed eggplant, garlic, bell pepper, crushed stewed tomatoes and water to meatballs. Let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Helpful hints

• 2 medium eggplants yield 8 cups.
• Substitute ground turkey for beef if desired.
• Serve this meal with pita, lavash or tortilla bread and a small bowl of iceberg lettuce salad with olive oil and lemon juice dressing.