how do you like your eggplant?

Jerzeeblondie
Jerzeeblondie Posts: 236
edited October 2 in Food and Nutrition
I've never made eggplant without having it covered in breadcrumbs and fried.. and then sometimes with sauce and cheese on top! But I want to make it in a healthy way and was wondering how you ear your eggplant. How do you cook it, what do you like to eat it with, etc.

Replies

  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    i like mine how you described it...but its pretty healthy if you bake it on a baking sheet and top with ricotta cheese and skip the pasta
  • acasey0123
    acasey0123 Posts: 640 Member
    i like to cube it and then put it on my pizza with other veggies
  • albali
    albali Posts: 225 Member
    Hi.
    I roast mine (diced) with red onion, courgette, garlic, peppers and olives. Just add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and off you go!! Serve with couscous and feta! Nom nom!
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    Grilled with some lemon juice and a dash of oil. Or baked with garlic and lemon.

    This is very tasty, though not so low cal - you can easily cut down on the amount of cheese etc though.
    http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/melanzane-alla-parmigiana-aubergine

    I've also made lasagne with aubergine (eggplant) instead of meat, layered with tomato and white sauce and pasta.

    And this page has some great ideas.

    http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/aubergine
    (I made the aubergine loaf once and it was fantastic)
  • chef970
    chef970 Posts: 196 Member
    sliced thick with EVOO and fresh herbs...Grilled!
  • jennyph2006
    jennyph2006 Posts: 356 Member
    BUMP!!
  • kechiemc
    kechiemc Posts: 1,355 Member
    sliced thick with EVOO and fresh herbs...Grilled!

    Yeah what he said. Grilling + fresh herbs tastes so good!
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,066 Member
    I like mine as far away from my face as possible. :P
  • CharlieBarleyMom
    CharlieBarleyMom Posts: 727 Member
    I just had it plain grilled today! Yum! Actually I grilled some and then put it next to my turkey burger which I smothered with horseradish mustard and dipped the eggplant in that as well! Again, YUM!

    The best part, check the calories for eggplant - like nothing! 25 GRAMS was 8 calories! - So I'm having it with dinner too since it was a decent sized eggplant and I just didn't have room on my little George Foreman grill for too many pieces.

    I've also had it sautèed with other veggies and garlic (using only spray olive oil - 0 cals) and again YUM!
  • marquesajen
    marquesajen Posts: 641
    I just read a recipe in Isabel Allende's "Aphrodite" that involves laying thick cuts of eggplant on a baking pan with garlic, onions, and tomato, etc.

    http://books.google.com/books?id=3wQfKoJq--wC&pg=PA294&lpg=PA294&dq=Aphrodite+allende+eggplant&source=bl&ots=qtk4G9W-r0&sig=ry9rd3Rl899Xh0h7AMqZWgz7sTw&hl=en&ei=eI9mTu3WJ8Tv0gHiwKy8Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CGMQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
  • Benji49
    Benji49 Posts: 419 Member
    I grill the small eggplant enough to soften it, scoop it out chop it and stir fry it with bok choy, brown rice, red onion, red or green pepper, a jalapeno and some home made satay sauce. Stuff it into the eggplant shell grill it to heat thru and serve it in the shell. Its yummy and healthy.
  • michelec64
    michelec64 Posts: 120 Member
    Stir-fried (1 tbsp of olive or canola oil), especially with bell peppers, scallions, garlic and shrimp or pork.

    Ratatouille is good too and low-cal since it's a meat-free dish.
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
    I mostly use it as a "filler" - I roast the whole fruit in the oven - and then use the flesh in salads, or to bulk up chicken or bollagnaise sauce
  • Enforcer25
    Enforcer25 Posts: 350 Member
    I love my eggplant on someone else's plate, tried it and wasn't a big fan.
  • Aeriel
    Aeriel Posts: 864 Member
    I may have to try some of these ideas. I have only tried cooking it once and it did not turn out well. I am always looking for new vegetables to add to our meals.
  • Jerzeeblondie
    Jerzeeblondie Posts: 236
    these all sound so good! Good thing I have 2 big eggplants so I can try it a few different ways
  • MrsVagus
    MrsVagus Posts: 82
    One of my favorite healthy restaurants makes a grilled eggplant and goat cheese sandwich on crusty bread with red pepper-- soooooo good, and the way they make it is 470 calories.
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
    I love eggplant. Here are some of my favorites:

    1) Slice (leaving skin on), marinate in a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil, then grill on a George Foreman for about 8 min or until tender. Melt a little provolone on top.

    2) Slice, dip in egg beaters, then panko. Put on a silpat. Put diced tomato, salt, pepper, oregano, and a little shredded cheese on top, then bake at 350 until tender.

    3) Korean marinated eggplant (Gaji-namul). Quarter asian eggplant, then cut into 3" segments. Steam for about 15 minutes, then cool. Once cool enough to touch, tear into strips by hand. Marinate the strips in soy sauce,garlic, sriracha, chopped scallion, a dash of sesame seeds, and a little sesame oil. Serve cold. (Or, if you do it fast enough, slightly warm).
  • slp2112
    slp2112 Posts: 107
    One of my favorite recipes is simply baking slices of tomato, onion and eggplant on a cookie sheet till they're crispy and gold. Cook some Israeli couscous (couscous, but the grain is bigger than the stuff you usually see). Combine 1/2 cup couscous, 1 to 1.5 cups veggies, 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of parmesan in a bowl, and enjoy. When I make it, it usually comes out to 300-350 calories and it's a LOT of food.
  • melzteach
    melzteach Posts: 550 Member
    I like my Ratatoullie (sp?) style. It a French peasant dish, chock full of veggies and soo yummy! You layer the veggies and flavors and it's incrediable.
    Chop all veggies so you have nice big chunks. Be sure to cook the veggines in the right order, it really does make a diffference.
    All you need to remember is this acronym: EZ POT (eggplant, zucchini, yellow or red peppers, onion, tomato).

    Cook each ingredient until tender with a bit of EVOO and salt one at a time, set aside the eggplant and add the zucchini, etc. After tomatoes are cooked, add all veggies back into the pot, deglaze with some chicken stock and your'e done in no time. Quick, easy and delicious!
  • Munched
    Munched Posts: 14 Member
    I love eggplant ( aubergine to me ) sliced and baked in the oven or place on a griddlle pan. Blend some anchovies, mint, raw garlic, a small amount of wine vinegar and some olive oil. The sauce has a strong taste so you need very little. Drizzle over the aubergine which can be served hot or cold. Sounds like an odd combo but it works!
  • digitalsinner
    digitalsinner Posts: 165
    Slice it into fries, dip in egg, and then panko/parmesan/red pepper mixture and bake them!

    They're my french fry alternative!
  • starracer23
    starracer23 Posts: 1,011 Member
    I have never tried eggplant...how would you guys describe the flavor, if you can?
  • BRISAjustAltered
    BRISAjustAltered Posts: 260 Member
    Grilled with a dash of sea salt. Made by my mama of course! :-)
    I can't make it come out right. I burn it or undercook it :-/
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
    You can make an eggplant parmesan that is super low cal for a super big portion... I make my own breadcrumbs with 35 calorie bread... toast them in the oven until they are golden brown and crunchy, then put in a food processor with tons of italian seasoning, Mrs. Dash, garlic powder (not salt) and rosemary... I'm not sure of the exact measurements but I'm thinking 3 cups of marinara sauce, 10tbs of parmesan (5 mixed in with bread crumbs and 5 on top) and 3/4 cup of reduced rat mozzerella cheese (1/4) in between layers and 1/2 c on top. coat the slices in egg beaters then in the breadcrumb/parm mixture, bake for about 15 minutes on each side, then layer with sauce and cheese in a lasagna pan... 1/4 of the recipe only has about 300 calories, and about 10 grams of fiber
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
    I have never tried eggplant...how would you guys describe the flavor, if you can?
    Eggplant is just slightly bitter -- not as much as Brussels sprouts, but on that axis, and if you cook it right, it gets a delicious creamy texture. .It balances nicely with tomatoes, cheese, and breadcrumbs (i.e. eggplant parmigiana)
  • starracer23
    starracer23 Posts: 1,011 Member
    ^^ Thanks!! I love brussel sprouts, so I guess I should really give it a try!! :D
  • Spedden
    Spedden Posts: 207
    There's a great recipe for eggplant with lentils on fatfreevegan.com. It's even better as leftovers!:smile:
  • jessbennett1986
    jessbennett1986 Posts: 243
    There's a great recipe for eggplant with lentils on fatfreevegan.com. It's even better as leftovers!:smile:

    I actually put a recipe on MFP for eggplant, Lentil, and TVP burgers. VERY delicious and will go as far to say its way better than BOCA or Morningstar. I suggest anyone who has time to try it out should. First time in my life I had eggplant and was very surprised that it wasn't bad tasting as other people had told me throughout my life.
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