Curried Eggplant Soup

I'm exhausted - I hate cleaning, well, I hate mopping and and wiping.  I never cease to amaze myself with my clumsiness.  I was twisting open my new bottle of prune juice and then, in slow motion, it somehow slipped out of my left hand and fell onto the coffee table before bouncing off to the ground.  The dark staining liquid flew out, making its way across the living room, marking its territory on the coffee table, floor, ceiling, couch, walls, my purse and shoes, my flatmate's jacket and iPad and binder filled with academic notes.  I've got this brown stuff on my face and clothes as well.  I look like a homeless wreck.

This is why I was not allowed to help my ex-boyfriend carry boxes when he was moving houses.

Anyway, I mopped and wiped and mopped and wiped and I'm just done.  Too exhausted too cook lunch, but no worries, because look what I had in my freezer! 

I had only recently started freezing things.  I don't know, I like having everything fresh and I always liked not knowing what I'm going to eat and then just whip up something with what I have, so I always just cook one portion.   What a pain though.  Not just because most recipes are for 4 or more and I have to do the math and do 1/4 of a 1/4 tsp of spices, but also because on days like this, I can just take something out of the freezer/fridge and in 5 minutes my lunch is ready.  Yea, because i didn't realize how almost everything's freezable. 

The great thing is this is also vegan (just substitute milk with some dairy-free milk and honey with maple syrup or other liquid sweetener). 

Make four portions, then if you're just on your own, you can put it in an airtight container and freeze it. 

Recipe From Eats Well With Others
Serves 4
Ingredients 
1 large eggplant
1 large onion, diced
1 tart apple, Granny Smith or Braeburn, diced
15 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 tbsp good quality curry powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey (or maple syrup/agave nectar)
15 oz can great northern or white beans, drained
4 cups vegetable broth, divided
1/2 cup almond milk
salt and black pepper, to taste
cilantro and feta cheese, for garnish (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 400F (200C).

Peel the eggplant and slice it 1/4-inch thick. Place the slices on a sprayed baking sheet and cover with foil.

Roast until eggplant is very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow to cool.

Put the slices into a large pot. Add 3 cups of the vegetable broth and bring to a low simmer.

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and get it hot. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the diced apple and cook for another 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato, curry powder, cayenne, soy sauce, and honey and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the reserved 1 cup of broth and cook another minute. Pour this mixture into the pot with the eggplant. Add the beans to the pot.

Puree using an immersion blender (or put in a food processor/blender and process). Stir in the milk.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Simmer on very low heat for 15 minutes.

Serve hot or chilled, sprinkled with parsley or cilantro and/or crumbled feta.