Minimal ingredients. Simple, yet elegant. The little black dress of the menu.
This dish has been on my mind since Thursday. It’s not every day that I get so fixated on creating one specific recipe, but I couldn’t help it! The campus farmers’ market had scallions now gracing my fridge with their presence. A friend was driving me to Trader Joe’s the next day. Hungry Harvest would be delivering an eggplant right to my doorstep.
The stars had aligned. It was kismet. Fate. Destiny. This salad was just meant to be.
If only my summer plans came together as easily. We’re already in May (seriously, where did the time go??), with only 2 weeks left of the semester, and I’m still trying to finalize an internship nearby. I almost can’t believe it, but I actually want my mind to (hopefully) return to focusing on finishing the numerous papers and projects due right before finals week. And then, of course, there are finals.
Applying to companies has been a long, nerve-wracking process. Throughout it all, one thing stuck out to me most. Everyone wants to hire someone with experience in the field. Well, I thought internships are supposed to be giving me experience.
Anyone able to reconcile this for me? Something doesn’t quite seem to add up…
Sending out my resume to perfect strangers did teach me a valuable lesson in crafting the ‘cold email,’. IT CAN’T HURT TO STAND OUT. The worst that can happen is I won’t get the job (read: my inbox will likely never receive a reply), so what is there to lose? After writing a few serious emails, I decided to have more fun with it.
By now I’ve lost count of how many recruiters and hiring managers know that my closet is color-coded. But at least they know I’m organized!
On the bright side, my lease continues through the summer, so at least I know where I’ll be cooking living. Fingers crossed that the rest falls into place soon.
The past month was a whirlwind, and I (sadly) had to hit pause on the recipe sharing. Now I’m back and raring to go full throttle. May is an exciting month– the end of school, my birthday (the big 21, guys!).
This will be my third year making a list of birthday goals. I stumbled across the idea on the Internet one day and was immediately drawn to the idea of taking a step back from celebrating how many years I’ve lived, to focus on how I plan to make the coming year better. Although some goals remain unfulfilled, it’s a way to put life in perspective and reflect on it after. Do you find that writing out lists of goals helps you stay on track?
Class wasn’t holding my attention, and it wasn’t long before my mind wandered over to my dinner goals. These wedges instantly took over every surface of my imagination. I accept no blame for stomach rumblings heard for the duration of class.
But I will take complete responsibility for sharing with you that bite of heaven adorning your plate.
Plan to make this? Had it already? Got questions or comments? If you’re thinking it, I want to hear it. Leave feedback below or tag #lensesandlentils on Instagram to share!
- 1 medium eggplant
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¾ cup chopped scallions, green parts only
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice eggplant and sweet potato into wedges of about equal size. In a large bowl, mix with oil and spices. Lay flat on baking sheet, and roast for 30-40 minutes.*
- Meanwhile, bring the balsamic to a boil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half and gooey, about 30 minutes. **
- Toss the roasted vegetables with the scallions and feta cheese. Arrange on serving platter and drizzle with balsamic reduction.
- Serve warm. Store in fridge for up to one week.
**If preparing in advance, the balsamic reduction can be stored in a container in the fridge. It will be extremely sticky, so before serving, add a little water and slowly reheat.
Wow, this salad looks AMAZING! I really want to try it out.
Please do! Generally when I think of salad, lettuce is the first thing to come to mind, but it’s so nice to have a respite from the leafy greens once in a while. You can wow any guests with this I bet.
I would love to hear your feedback when you try it!