It’s (finally) sweater weather!
There are two seasons I love more than any other — Spring and Fall. And for good reason. My reasons may or may not be entirely fashion-based. No judgment, right? But really, I’ve been waiting all September and October to start wearing my cozy layers and chic boots. (more…)
When the weather gets warmer, I tend to want to eat healthier – partially because it’s more fresh and partially because when May 1st rolls around, I remember that I need to have a good figure to pull off bare legs and cute dresses. Plus, to me, fresh veggies and fruits equal healthy and delicious.
As my readers know, I love eggplant and I’m constantly searching for ways to use the vegetable on a regular basis. Enter Coriander Mint Eggplant Rounds.
Panini Grilled Coriander Mint Eggplant Rounds Recipe
Ingredients
1 large Eggplant ½ cup Fresh Mint Leaves 1 tablespoon Olive Oil 1 teaspoon ground Coriander Sea Salt, to tasteDirections
Cut the eggplant into rounds In a ziplock bag, toss the eggplants with sea salt, olive oil and coriander until coated Grill the eggplant on a Panini grill until soft Drain additional oil on a paper towel Serve with fresh mint leavesServings: 4
Nutrition Information: Cals 81. Carbs 16g. Fat 2g. Protein 3g.
Let’s face it, Arabic food takes forever to make. There are lots of steps and long cooking times, time I don’t have when I’m working full time and trying to conserve my culture simultaneously. That’s why I’ve decided to start a recipe series featuring traditional Arabic dishes, made much easier for those of us that have full time jobs and prefer to keep weekday cooking to 30 minutes or less. This is the fourth installment of the series. Don’t forget to check out previous posts in the Arabic Food Made Easy Series.
I’ve mentioned before my love for eggplant. I know for most it’s an acquired taste, but it’s a truly delicious veggie. A few months ago, I spent some time at my Tayta’s. My last night over, she asked me to come back the following night just for dinner. She was making a dish she had been craving for a while – Imnazzaleh (pronounced em-naza-lee). Well, she never got around to making it because she caught a bad case of pneumonia. I did, however, get her recipe and several weeks later I decided to try it out and bring her the dish she was craving.
Tayta’s Imnazzaleh Recipe
Ingredients
2 large Eggplants 1 can Diced Tomatoes 2 cloves Garlic (whole) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon Seven Spice Sea Salt, to taste Olive OilDirections
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Coat the eggplant with olive oil and place on a baking dish (or two). Bake for 40 minutes. In a large skillet, over high heat sauté onions until translucent. Add Eggplant, diced tomatoes, and garlic. Add seven spice, and sea salt. Mix well. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 15 minutes.Serve with Arabic Bread.
Servings: 6
Nutrition Information: Cals 157. Carbs 13g. Fat 12g. Protein 2g.
I love eggplant. I didn’t always love eggplant. When I was younger, I actually tried to avoid it at all costs. To me, it was unnecessary and had an after taste that didn’t particularly resonate well with me. I’m not sure what exactly transformed me from anti-eggplant to an all-out love affair with the vegetable. But it must have not been very dramatic – since I don’t remember the turning point.
This weekend, I was doing my usual grocery run and I spent a nice amount of time in the produce aisle. I found these big purple eggplants staring at me saying “buy me, buy me.” I looked away to think, what on earth am I going to make with eggplant that isn’t fattening and won’t throw my diet off track. I didn’t really come up with anything. I convinced myself I would grill them on our Panini press or roast them in the oven and bagged one large one up, tossing it into my cart.
Although grilled eggplant sounds absolutely delish, I decided to spice it up a little bit a make some eggplant parmesan with a side of spaghetti noodles. At the last minute I came up with the idea of makeshift garlic bread (recipe to follow). Let’s just say I rummaged through the freezer and found some bread that could be used.
Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
1 Large Eggplant, cut into 1 inch rounds ¼ cup egg substitute 3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil (more if needed) 1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 1 can Tomato paste ¼ cup Grated Parmesan cheeseDirections
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and cut the eggplant into 1 inch rounds. Place the egg substitute in one bowl and the breadcrumbs in another. Dip the eggplant in the egg mixture and then in bread crumbs. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Brown the breaded eggplant on both sides before placing in a cooking-sprayed baking dish. Mix together the tomato paste with ¼ cup water. And spoon over each eggplant. Cover with mozzarella. Then top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with a side of SpaghettiServings: 4
Nutrition Information: Cals 311. Carbs 20g. Fat 22g. Protein 13g. Sodium 495mg. Sugar 5g.
Makeshift Garlic Bread
Ingredients
2 hotdog buns, halved I can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light (about 4 tablespoons) Garlic Powder Dried OreganoDirections
Spread a thick layer of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light on one side of each half. Sprinkle with Garlic Powder and Dried Oregano Spread I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light on the bottom of a baking dish. Then place the bread in the baking dish. Broil on 500 degrees for 5-7 minutes, to desired brown-ness.
Servings: 2
Nutrition Information: Cals 200. Carbs 25g. Fat 12g. Proetin 5g. Sodium 460mg. Sugar 2g.
Apparently, I’m taking requests for recipes now. Today’s request comes from my very best friend who’s been searching for the recipe for Fattet Betenjan (literally translated to Eggplant Crumbles) since she tasted it at a party. It’s a fairly easy dish and can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Some people add ground beef to their Fatteh. My version is vegetarian.
Ingredients
Arabic Bread (aka Pita Bread) 2 Cloves Garlic 1/2 cup Pine Nuts 1 can Chickpeas, drained 2 cups Plain Yogurt 4 large (or 6 small) Eggplants Vegetable OilDirections
Cut the bread into small squares, and fry in vegetable oil until lightly browned. Cut the eggplant into squares and lightly salt. Let stand for 10-15 minutes. Fry the eggplant in the same oil used for the bread, add more oil if necessary. Fry the pine nuts in the same oil. In a bowl, mix plain yogurt with 2 cloves garlic, whisk until combined well. In a deep serving dish, layer as follows: Eggplant, Bread, Chickpeas, Yogurt, Pine Nuts
