Eggplant-Don't know what to do with it!!!

2

Replies

  • LaviMc
    LaviMc Posts: 355 Member
    I just made a really great dish yesterday with baby eggplant: eggplant, asparagus, onion, red pepper, mushroom, oregano, parsley, and lean (not too salty) chicken sausage sauteed together in olive oil and tossed together with whole wheat pasta. DE-LISH! Just be careful of how much pasta you eat. I ate a half cup.
  • aamon17
    aamon17 Posts: 54 Member
    bump
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/440061-i-bought-an-eggplant-now-what

    Just by the way - I never salt my eggplant before - and it is not bitter......It is my understanding that that comes from a time when eggplant in the raw state was much more bitter - the newer varieties seems to have had that bred out of them.....

    Also they SOAK up oil like nothing, so use a spray to lightly spray them before putting on the BBQ - or grilling in the oven....
  • bethvandenberg
    bethvandenberg Posts: 1,496 Member
    ughhh I hate eggplant. I'd throw it out but since you're going to give it a shot I wish you the best of luck. :)
  • Slice thin pieces and bake with a spoonful of pasta sauce and little bit of low fat shredded Mozzarella cheese! YUM! Or just cut it up and sautee with other veggies like red peppers, zucchini, and yellow squash in extra virgin olive oil!
  • ahadj
    ahadj Posts: 257 Member
    So many yummy ideas! And thanks for reminding me about the eggplant I bought last week, almost forgot about it.
  • gehlerc
    gehlerc Posts: 651 Member
    Slice it in circles. Spread in a single layer on cookie sheet and bake until soft. (You can choose to brush each side of the slices with EVOO before baking, if you want, or you can save the calories.)

    Let the roasted eggplant cool and cube it.

    It freezes well at this point.

    We love to put it in red sauce--usually with fresh mushrooms--for spaghetti. Also good layered in ratatouilli and other casseroles. But using it in spaghetti sauce is our favorite.
  • Allie_71
    Allie_71 Posts: 1,063 Member
    I saw on YouTube recently a way to 'grill' them without a lot of oil. Put the slices of eggplant in a non stick pan with a little water. Cover and let them steam for a couple of minutes, uncover then let the water mostly steam away. They will have partially cooked at this point and will lose their sponginess and their tendency to absorb oil. Paint them with a tiny bit of oil, then allow them to brown on both sides. Still has the grilled effect and taste with way less oil :)

    here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HznL75j133k

    12854723.png
  • memcd911
    memcd911 Posts: 230 Member
    slice, paint with olive oil (lightly), sprinkle with italian seasoning, top with parmesan, bake or grill.
    yum.
  • jshorr
    jshorr Posts: 60 Member
    I love to slice it into 1/4 inch rounds(pretty thin) rounds and salt it. Place it in a colander and let it drain for 30 minutes. This takes away the bitterness. Then I rinse the salt off. And here's the fun part...

    Dip it into fat-free italian dressing and then dip it into buttermilk cornmeal mix-self-rising( I use Martha Brown) It's so simple!
    Put olive oil in pan or spray with non stick spray. Fry until golden brown crust. Drain on paper towels. Yummy! The italian dressing gives it great flavor.
  • This made me laugh, thank you! :)
    You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There's uh, eggplant-kabobs, eggplant creole, eggplant gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple eggplant, lemon eggplant, coconut eggplant, pepper eggplant, eggplant soup, eggplant stew, eggplant salad, eggplant and potatoes, eggplant burger, eggplant sandwich. That- that's about it.
  • gluvdjs4e
    gluvdjs4e Posts: 14 Member
    My fav is eggplant parm, you've had a lot of suggestions for that. Also, after salting to get rid of the bitter, use it in stir fry and as a pizza topping. Doing this you can cut back on the amount of meat. I've also seen it used as a tapenade.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    cube and roast with a little salt and pepper and olive oil.

    or make moussaka-a Greek style lasagna. YUMO
  • mandacloye
    mandacloye Posts: 26 Member
    I am usually out of protien grams by the evening meal so I take Eggplant, de-seed (my hubby can't have the seeds, and if it is just me eating I leave them in), cube, and cook it along with cubed green, yellow and orange sweet peppers, onions and cubed apples, skin on. I tend to use cortland or something equally as tart as I personally prefer tart ones. I add musrooms at the very last so they don't over-cook. The same time I add the mushrooms I add about (I seldom measure) 1/2-3/4 cup white wine, whatever I have on hand. We find light fruit flavors are nice in this. Now, if I still have protein left for the day I add kielbsa at the start of the cooking. The salty from the meat and the sweet/tart from the wine/apples compliment each other nicely. I cook til the wine has mostly evaporated. I am a big used of seasonings and add those liberally, watching the sodium in them. I add what "looks/sounds" good and seldom use the same combo twice. Guess you could say I cook by the seat of my pants. Garlic or other seasoned bread goes nicely. Hope this helps. :)
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Recipe for pasta sauce with egg plant

    in a pan put couple of tbsp of olive oil. Saute 1 medium onion + 1-2 cloves of garlic+some crushed chilli peppers. After about a minute or 2, add 1-2 eggplants. DONOT add oil or water. Eggplant dont need any additional help to cook up at this point. Cook till egg plant changes color. Add a 28 oz of tomato puree in this and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Salt to taste. Put couple of leaves of basil in it and voila!
  • cornfritter22
    cornfritter22 Posts: 230 Member
    bump
  • mollymarie83
    mollymarie83 Posts: 21 Member
    Slice it up, dip it in egg whites, then in whole wheat bread crumbs, bake it or pan fry it in olive oil then top it with marinara and reduced fat italian blend cheese and make egg plant parm =)
  • joan41
    joan41 Posts: 170 Member
    I sautee cut up chicken breast in olive oil cut up and cupe egg plant throw that in, then add Spagetti sauce. Served with whole wheat noodles. My kids love it!! Somethimes Ill sprinkle it with reduced fat parmesian cheese!! It's yummy!! Even my kids LOVE eggplant!!
  • tnshahud
    tnshahud Posts: 163
    Thanks for all the ideas, Can't wait to try it!!!! All of them!!! :happy:
  • Sambina32
    Sambina32 Posts: 25 Member
    Try a low fat low cal way.. You can Grill it marinade in an low fat balsamic dressing and throw on the grill.. So simple so delicious Forman Grill works just as well.
  • donnatodd2002
    donnatodd2002 Posts: 2 Member
    I have made this dish several times - delish :)

    Aside from a 1/4 c of EVOO it is somewhat healthy:
    To increase the Fiber content and make it a bit more healthy you can use either Whole wheat pasta or Smart Pasta.

    http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/linguine-with-eggplant-ragout

    ENJOY -
  • Aid_B
    Aid_B Posts: 427
    * B U M P * for later
  • spennato
    spennato Posts: 360 Member
    1) You Can Grill It( With Olive Oil And Balsamic)
    2) You Can Stuff It
    3) Eggplant Parm
    4) You Can Cube it then Fry it then Put it in your sauce
    5) You Can make Capponata( Google It)
    6) You can Pickle it........really good
    7) You can make eggplant rollatini (Thats first fried than stuffed with spinach and ricotta)
    8.....................well there are lots of stuff you can do .....Now I am getting hungry so I am stopping



    Have a great day!!
  • a healthy eggplant lasagne: cut slice of eggpant and cook in grill pan lightly sprayed with healthy oil
    use beef or other mince / grated veggies / tomato & extra tomato paste.... mix ....and layer like a regular lasagne
    sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese and bake - delicious and healthy :)
  • WandaVonDunajew
    WandaVonDunajew Posts: 183 Member
    Original Romanian recipe (loaded with calories though) that is my personal favorite:

    roast eggplant on an open fire, peel the burnt skin, drain the eggplant well, chop it finely with a wooden spatula (it will be very soft). Add one finely chopped garlic clove, a very small shallot also finely diced, one raw egg yolk, mix with a mixer and add olive oil while mixing, until it gets fluffy (will need lots of it). Add salt to the liking. That's it! It tastes slightly smoked and goes well with fresh tomatoes (and some home made bread right out of the oven "blink blink" :bigsmile: )
  • stephl21uk
    stephl21uk Posts: 123 Member
    its lovely with blue cheese (not very healthy i know!) i have it in a veg medley (if its bought from a supermarket or decent you dont have to salt it!!!!) only ones grown in ur garden needs salting farmed ones arent bitter! i slice it and brush with a tiny bit of olive oil, through it on a griddle pan for 1 mins each side...place it in a oven tin with sliced courgettes, onion, bell peppers and baby potoatos and roast untill cooked....so tasty and low fat!
  • Barbara98
    Barbara98 Posts: 60 Member
    I cut up my egg plant into slices and rub a little olive oil on it and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese and put it on the grill. Its so delicious and easy!
This discussion has been closed.