Satisfy your teriyaki cravings with this light and low-carb grilled eggplant! Perfect as a vegan side dish to pair with stir-fry cauli-rice or pan-seared tofu, this quick and simple veggie puts an Asian spin on one of my favorite veggies: the eggplant.

Teriyaki was always one of my go-to orders when eating at a sushi restaurant. Whether it was teriyaki fried tofu or just a plate of teriyaki vegetables, I always felt like I was making a healthier choice, until I realized just how much sugar went into the sauce I loved so much. I was so excited when I tried to duplicate the sauce using liquid aminos and swerve and the taste was just as I remembered.

Liquid aminos is a soy sauce alternative that is gluten-free and contains 16 of the 20 amino acids that make a complete protein. Though it won’t add a significant amount of protein to your diet, it is a great addition for vegetarians and vegans as a flavor enhancer and boost of essential amino acids. It’s a delicious companion in everything from salad dressings to marinades and soups!

This sauce is fairly thin and is more of a marinade than a traditional teriyaki sauce. Because the eggplant is repeatedly brushed in the sauce, it soaks in all the flavor while caramelizing on the outside. You can prepare this on an outdoor grill lined with foil or if you live in a place where grilling is impossible, a countertop electric grill works great.

Yields 5 servings of Vegan Teriyaki Grilled Eggplant

The Preparation

1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons stevia/erythritol blend
2 medium eggplant
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

The Execution

1. Combine sesame oil, liquid aminos, garlic, ginger, and swerve into a saucepan and whisk together over medium heat.

2. Bring the sauce to a light simmer, stirring frequently until it begins to thicken slightly. Remove from heat.

3. Remove the stems from the eggplants and slice into 1/8 in slices. You will get approximately five full slices from each eggplant for a total of ten slices.

4. Brush each slice of eggplant with the teriyaki sauce and place on a hot grill.

5. Sear each side, brushing with more sauce as it caramelizes.

6. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve with remaining sauce.

This makes a total of 5 servings of Vegan Teriyaki Grilled Eggplant. Each serving comes out to be 182 calories, 12.3g fats, 8.7g net carbs, and 4.7g protein.

NUTRITION	CALORIES	FAT	CARBS	FIBER	NET CARBS	PROTEIN
1/4 cup sesame oil	482	54.5	0	0	0	0
1/2 cup soy sauce	68	0.7	6.3	1	5.3	10.4
2 teaspoon fresh garlic	8	0	1.9	0.1	1.8	0.4
1 tablespoon ground ginger	18	0.2	3.8	0.8	3.1	0.5
2 tablespoon stevia/erythritol blend	5	0	0	0	0	0
2 medium eggplant	283	2	66.6	34	32.6	11.1
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds	45	3.8	2.1	1.1	0.9	1.4
Totals	909	61.4	80.6	37	43.6	23.7
Per Serving (/5)	182	12.3	16.1	7.4	8.7	4.7