Brown Rice with Roasted Eggplant

Hiking everyday affords us these incredible views. The wind has picked up the last few days, blowing in the early morning fog and then blowing it back out again. One thing is certain for sure and that is the season is changing. I am going to enjoy whats left of these few summer moments the best I can.

There is something about the perfect combinations of certain foods, eggplant, red onion and garlic is for me now one of them. The black olives give this a little something extra. Something salty and briny that makes you take just one more bite. Brings you back one more time....And as you can see, there's not much left.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked short grain brown rice
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium eggplant (diced 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 small red onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
10 Kalamata pitted olives (diced)
6 basil leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

To prepare:

Bring water and salt to a boil in a small pot. Add rice, cover and turn down heat, simmer for 40 minutes or until water is absorbed. Preheat oven to 400F. Place diced eggplant, red onion and garlic on baking sheet, mix with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast 30 minutes, until tender. Mix rice and eggplant mixture together, add olives and basil. Then add lemon juice and toss gently to combine. Serve warm. Enjoy!