EGGPLANT & CHICKPEAS: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your cubed eggplant on one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and toss to coat. To the other half of the large baking sheet, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and toss to coat. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the eggplant and chickpeas are golden brown and caramelized. The eggplant should be soft to the touch.
SALAD: While your grain is cooking, make the salad. To a large mixing bowl, add quartered cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, chopped green bell pepper, optional chopped parsley, and chopped kalamata olives. Add lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt. Stir well to combine. Set aside until ready to serve.
SAUCE: To a small mixing bowl, add tahini, lemon juice, sea salt, and water. Whisk well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt for saltiness, lemon for zing, water to loosen, or tahini to make thicker. Any leftover sauce is great on veggies, grains, or proteins.
Assemble your bowls: Divide the rice (or quinoa), eggplant, chickpeas, and salad between serving bowls and drizzle each with ~1-2 Tbsp of tahini sauce.
Each component can be stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The rice or quinoa is freezer-friendly, but the other components are not.
Notes
*Recipe as written makes ~2/3 cup tahini sauce, which is enough for generously topping the bowls or having leftover sauce for other meals.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with half of the tahini sauce and without optional ingredients.