There's a lot of anxiety, uncertainty and fear world-wide right now. With a hyper-active nervous system and the stress response triggered, we need nourishing food to calm and replenish our systems, more than ever before. And above all, we need a sense of calm and safety. There's a lot out of our control but let's manage what we can. It won't do us, our loved ones, our community, or the world any good if we're not taking proactive steps to support our physical, mental and emotional health.

As I write this, the San Francisco Bay Area has been ordered to shelter in place. And I know there are varying degrees of self and government-imposed quarantines happening around the globe.

My wish is that you can feel safe and supported right now. Please do your part to stay home, avoid contact, and take care of YOU. We've got to flatten this damn curve!

I feel lucky that I live somewhere I can easily access fresh air and nature. Leila and I are out on the trails every day. If you want a peak behind the scenes of daily life here, make sure to follow on Instagram!

I've also moved all of my clients online. It's important to me that I can continue providing a safe space and continuity for the beautiful, courageous people who've chosen to go on this wellness journey with me.

As a result of transitioning online for the foreseeable future, I also plan to host webinars in the coming weeks to provide broader support and replace in-person talks and cooking workshops I had planned. Be sure you're subscribed to my newsletter and follow on Instagram so you don't miss announcements for online events.

Now, on to this recipe. I made it a few weeks back, before thinking too heavily about the pantry staples we'd be relying on in a situation like we find ourselves in today. But spices and canned chickpeas are certainly pantry staples for a lot of us, so I hope this recipe serves you well.

This is a tray bake (or sheet pan dinner) with eggplant, chickpeas and a Moroccan-inspired spice trio of cinnamon, ginger and cumin. Whole cloves of garlic roast in their skin along with the eggplant, which makes them soft and sweet. The eggplant gets jammy and mingles with fragrantly spiced chickpeas.

I think of this tray bake as a crossover meal, one that bridges the seasons; a warm cooked base firmly planted in cozy winter comfort is topped with a fresh, crisp, juicy salad welcoming lighter spring air. Fennel is sliced thinly (ideally with a mandolin or fine knife skills and a sharp blade) and mixed with orange segments, leftover juice from the oranges, olive oil, and fresh cilantro. Eat this festive and vibrant layered dish alone or serve over quinoa or brown rice (other pantry staples I'm hoping we all have in stock).

Stay safe and be well.
~ Katie xo

Eggplant Chickpea Bake with a Fennel Citrus Salad

Serves 6

• 2 medium eggplants

• 1 medium red onion

• 8 cloves of garlic, kept whole & with skin on

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes (or more to taste)

• 1 tsp. salt + pepper, to taste

• 4 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 3 cups cooked chickpeas (2 15-oz cans)

• Juice from 1/2 lemon, or more to taste

• Fennel Citrus Salad (recipe below)

• For serving (optional): cooked quinoa or brown rice, lemon wedges or pomegranate molasses, feta or salted yogurt (dairy or coconut yogurt)

Fennel Citrus Salad

• 3 oranges, segmented (squeeze juice after segmenting into bowl)

• 1 medium fennel, dry outer layer and core removed and

• Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

• 1/8 tsp. salt

• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 F/ 200 C.

2. Chop eggplant lengthwise in 1/2" planks, stack and cut into 1/2" cubes. Chop onion in 1/2" pieces. Place eggplant and onion on a large baking tray, along with whole garlic cloves (with skin!). Sprinkle around cinnamon, ginger, cumin, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and 4 Tbsp. olive oil. Immediately mix well with hands, until everything is evenly covered in spices and oil.

3. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove garlic cloves, set aside. Add chickpeas to eggplant mixture and drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil and add a bit more salt. Stir into eggplant mixture.

4. Cook another 10-15 minutes, until chickpeas turn light golden brown and dry out a bit. Remove from oven. Remove garlic skin and add garlic and juice of 1/2 lemon to tray.

5. While eggplant mixture bakes, prepare the salad. Segment oranges over a medium bowl to catch juices and segments. (Here is a helpful photo tutorial for segmenting citrus). Squeeze what's left of the oranges into the bowl to collect remaining juice.

6. Slice fennel thinly using the "super thin" blade of a mandolin or a sharp knife and steady base. Add to oranges and juice along with cilantro, salt and olive oil. Mix well to combine.

7. Serve eggplant mixture in bowls or over grains if using, top with fennel citrus salad and additional suggested components, if using. Enjoy!