Cheesy Italian Beef Stuffed Eggplant

• Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. • Rub eggplant halves all over with a large drizzle of olive oil (two large drizzles for 4 servings); season with salt and pepper. • Tightly wrap each eggplant half in aluminum foil; place on one side of a baking sheet (for 4, arrange across entire sheet). 

• On opposite side of sheet from eggplant, toss carrots with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper (for 4 servings, toss carrots on a second baking sheet). Roast on top rack until eggplant has softened, 15-18 minutes (you'll add more to the sheet then). (For 4, roast carrots on top rack and eggplant on middle rack, swapping rack positions halfway through.)

• While veggies roast, heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped eggplant, scallion whites, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.

• Add beef*, Italian Seasoning, and half the garlic powder (you'll use the rest later) to pan with eggplant mixture; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes.  • Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until brick red in color, 30-60 seconds. • Add ¼ cup water, stock concentrate, and ½ tsp sugar (½ cup water and 1 tsp sugar for 4 servings). Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened, 60 seconds. Turn off heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.

• Once eggplant has softened, remove sheet from oven; carefully remove and discard foil from eggplant halves (for 4 servings, remove sheet with carrots from oven as well). • Fill eggplant halves with Italian beef filling; top with Parmesan. • Carefully toss carrots with half the balsamic vinegar (all for 4 servings). • Return to top rack and roast until cheese melts and carrots are tender, 5-8 minutes more (for 4, roast eggplant on top rack and carrots on middle rack).