These deep purple-hued veggies (or fruits, if you want to get technical) are ripe for the picking in July through October. Besides being beautiful, eggplants are a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. If you’re looking for a few fresh recipes to test out, we’ve picked four zesty options to spruce up your summer meals.
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Serves 2
With succulent chicken and a mix of fresh veggies, this hearty meal is ideal for a summertime dinner party.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium eggplant
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips ½ inch wide and 2 inches long
- ¼ cup onion, chopped
- ¼ cup red, green, or yellow bell peppers, chopped
- 1 cup canned unsalted tomatoes, drained except for ¼ cup liquid
- ¼ cup celery, chopped
- ½ cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions: Heat the oven to 350°F and coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Cut the ends off the eggplant and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the pulp and leave a shell about ¼-inch thick. Add the shells to the baking dish along with water. Dice the eggplant pulp and reserve for later.
In a nonstick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high and cook the chicken strips about 5 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned and no longer pink. Add the diced eggplant, onion, peppers, tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, celery, and mushrooms to the chicken, reduce the heat, and simmer about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the bread crumbs and black pepper, and add half the mixture into each eggplant shell. Cover and bake about 15 minutes or until the eggplant is softened and the stuffing has warmed. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
Calories—346 | Total Fat—10g | Saturated
Fat—2g | Sodium—200mg | Carbohydrate—37g
Sugar —14g | Protein—27g
From Nutrition World nutritionw.com
Eggplant Olive Frittata
Serves 4
Kalamata olives add a Mediterranean kick to this earthy eggplant dish, making it the perfect light summer meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 small eggplant
- ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives
- ¼ cup fresh basil (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons light herb/garlic spreadable cheese, divided
- 6 large eggs (or 1½ cups egg substitute)
Directions: Slice eggplant and basil thinly and chop olives coarsely. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Place oil in pan and then add eggplant; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until eggplant softens. Combine olives, basil, and one tablespoon of cheese; whisk in eggs. Pour egg mixture over eggplant; cook one minute without stirring. Cook 1 to 2 more minutes, tilting pan slightly and using spatula to loosen sides and allow uncooked eggs to reach bottom of pan, or until sides begin to set. Add 1 tablespoon of cheese over egg mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until frittata is set. Cut frittata into wedges and serve.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
Calories—230 | Total Fat—17g | Sodium
—250mg | Carbohydrate—7g | Dietary Fiber—2g | Sugar —5g | Protein—11g
From Publix publix.com
Serves 10
This veggie dish with French roots is an ideal side dish for grilled or roasted fish
and chicken.
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant, cut into ¾-inch slices
- 3 bell peppers, assorted colors, seeded, cored, and cut into thick wedges
- 2 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into ¾-inch slices
- 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¾-inch slices
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- or water
- ½ cup pitted Niçoise olives or
- other black olives
- 5 large tomatoes (about 2½ pounds), seeded, and chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 7 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
- 3 tablespoons chopped marjoram
- or oregano
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Directions: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place peppers and eggplant on one sheet, and squash and zucchini on the second sheet. Roast vegetables, turning them once halfway through cooking and switching trays top to bottom and front to back, until browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool vegetables slightly, then coarsely chop. Meanwhile, combine broth and olives in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a heavy pot and add tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer until tomatoes are very soft, about 20 minutes. Add roasted vegetables and marjoram to pot; cover and simmer, stirring once or twice, until flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley and vinegar; cook 5 minutes more.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
Calories—80 | Total Fat—1.5g | Saturated Fat—0g | Sodium—90mg | Carbohydrate—15g | Dietary Fiber—5g | Sugar—8g | Protein—3g
From Whole Foods wholefoodsmarket.com
Spicy Eggplant Dip
Serves 8
When you’ve had all the hummus and salsa you can stand, try mixing it up with this spicy eggplant dip instead.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Directions: Pierce the eggplant a few times with a small knife. Place on a paper towel and put in the microwave for four minutes on high power (time may vary depending on the microwave). Let the eggplant sit for two minutes or until soft. Combine the vegetable oil and garlic in a skillet, and heat over low heat until the garlic sizzles. Add the cumin and stir. Remove the skillet from the heat. Remove the softened eggplant from the microwave, and add to the skillet. If necessary, chop up the eggplant before adding to the skillet. Place the skillet back on the stovetop over low heat. Add the fresh ginger, red bell pepper, and parsley to the skillet. Stir the mixture until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
Calories—50 | Total Fat—4g | Sodium—102mg | Carbohydrate—5g | Dietary Fiber—2g | Sugar — 5g | Protein —<1g
From Nutrition World
nutritionw.com
