When throwing a holiday party, it’s important to have more for your vegan friends to munch on than just a bowl of nuts or veggies with hummus. Here’s one coconut oil recipe that is sure to please the meat-challenged, as well as your carnivorous friends!

Eggplant Fingers

Ingredients

    1/2 cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch

    The equivalent of 3 eggs (1 ½ teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer plus 2 tablespoons water is the equivalent to one egg)

    2 cups fresh bread crumbs

    1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional for sprinkling eggplant

    1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (I mix dried basil, oregano, and thyme)

    1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices and then quartered

    Kelapo coconut oil, for deep frying

    Marinara sauce (optional)

Directions

Place the flour, egg replacement, and bread crumbs each in 3 small bowls. Add the 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the egg and whisk to combine. Season the bread crumbs with the tablespoon of spices and stir with a fork or your hands to thoroughly combine.

Dredge each piece of eggplant in the flour, coating thoroughly and then shaking to remove any excess flour. Coat each piece with the egg replacement, then dredge in the bread crumb mixture, pressing to make the bread crumbs adhere. Transfer the eggplant pieces to a rack or to paper towels to let them dry slightly before frying.

In a deep, heavy skillet heat 1/2-inch of vegetable oil to 375 degrees F. Fry the eggplant pieces, in batches if necessary, for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt before serving. Serve with marinara sauce on a pretty holiday plate.

-AM