Stuffed Aubergines {Baby Eggplant} in Coconut Curry Sauce

This sauce is so thick and creamy and slightly sweet you'll want to slurp up every last drop and then lick the bowl clean. I'm not ashamed.....  

No one is questioning whether or not this is a busy time of year, least of all me. While there are countless different traditions, faiths and even circumstances across the globe the Holidays are a unique and special time of year for most of us. I think it's safe to say that the people of the United States, while multi cultured are known for their spending and splurging habits. Myself included.


While I like to pride myself on being fairly modest and non self indulgent when it comes to material things, I find myself getting wrapped up {no pun intended} in the American way of Christmas most every year. More, more, more, more. And then the guilt sets in. It's not enough, it's too much, I need to volunteer/donate, why do I only do that once a year....... and so forth.

I made a small change this year. Very small yet extremely significant to how I feel about the Holidays and about myself.  This year, I refocused. 

I still bought the children several small gifts and one large one which was most definitely NOT on the initial plan, an Xbox One. Mind you I have major reservations about video games due to the tantrums, lack of the children's priorities and overall hassle involved. I still somehow got talked into (yeah, my arm was twisted) into buying one for the BIG family gift this year.  Again, too much???

Nevertheless, I made a small change within this year. I have spent more time volunteering, giving and truly focusing on the immaterial parts of Christmas, which really, are what Christmas is all about.


While I have a lot of self reflection to do on this subject, I noticeably feel a warmth in my heart. The funny thing is, it's been one of the most hectic Holidays ever and yet I'm more at Peace than I have been in quite a while.




Of course being in my kitchen making stuffed eggplant in a rich and creamy spiced curry helps with the whole being at peace thing for me! Perfect for a cold night, I love how curries warm your tummy and soul and are my idea of the perfect comfort food.




This sauce is so thick and creamy and slightly sweet you'll want to slurp up every last drop and then lick the bowl clean. I'm not ashamed.....

TIME      40 MINUTES               SERVES      6

7-8 baby eggplants (Indian eggplants), cut off end parts & make a cross cut (like Brussels sprouts, only cut halfway down the eggplant)

For the CURRY: 

1 c yogurt
 2 c water
 1/4 c chickpea flour (besan)
 1 t salt
 1/2 t turmeric
1/4 t red chili powder

Blend w/whisk. Let stand at least ~15 min. (overnight is best)


Remaining Ingredients:

1/4 cup raw peanuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds (not toasted)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon black pepper
2-4  tablespoons coconut oil {divided}
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
3/4 cup diced red onion





To a hot dry pan {cast iron or a ceramic Dutch oven is best}, add  peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut flakes.

Stir and dry roast over medium-high heat. 

Add salt, garam masala, & black pepper. 


Once they are nice and brown, put in a blender & add 1/4 c water. Blend to a smooth paste. This is the stuffing. With a spoon,  fill the eggplants as much as you can.



Heat a pan and add 1-2 T oil.  Place eggplants in pan and roll in the oil; fry til they are nice and brown on all sides and about 80% done.



In another pan, prepare the curry using the ingredients above.  To the hot pan, add 2 T oil and heat. 



Add  fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds,  ginger root  chopped red onion. Sauté for a few minutes so that onions are no longer raw. Add any leftover stuffing or any masala. 



Add curry base (yogurt+water, spices and chickpea flour) and keep stirring until it comes to a gentle boil and thickens. Add eggplants that are mostly done and let them simmer in the curry sauce for a few minutes.



Serve w/rice or flatbread.

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Mushroom and Eggplant Stroganoff #RecipeRedux #NationalPastaMonth

I sort of feel like a vegetarian version of Beef Stroganoff is some sort of unforgivable sin in some ways. However, I just so happen to much prefer this vegetarian version to the beef one, again, sinful. I have to tell you though, sinful or not this mushroom and eggplant stroganoff is incredibly delicious and so stinking easy that you just might not miss the beef. 

I cross my heart!

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the National Pasta Association and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

It just so happens to be National Pasta Month and with so many pasta options out there I know I could relish in all of the possibilities for 31 days easily. Would you believe that aside from my husband, not me nor any of my 4 children are big spaghetti and meatball fans? Crazy huh? I sort of gave up on the whole traditional aspect of it and have moved on to bigger and better things in the pasta world.

This Italian campanile pasta was perfect for a hearty stroganoff. It's 'flower' shape adds to the visual aspect as well as soaking up the rich, thick sauce.  Which is dairy free, healthy and delicious I might add. I'm all for classic comfort foods gone guiltless. 

Pasta Fits into a busy lifestyle, a healthy diet, and a tight budget making it the best choice for busy families. Pasta is the perfect foundation for a healthy meal – it boasts energy, satisfies hunger, and pairs with vegetables and lean proteins to create delicious meals. 

This mushroom stroganoff is perfect after a long, busy day. It takes under 20 minutes to make and the cashew cream sauce comes together in a blender while the pasta cooks. The whole family loves this classic pasta dish and I love that it provides everything we need to keep us healthy and going strong. My boys especially love their pasta dinners to keep their busy bodies strong. After a long day at school, activities and sports a big bowl of pasta filled with healthy ingredients is just what they're craving. {The no complaining about what's for dinner part helps too.}

Instead of calorie heavy cheese, I like to use Nutritional Yeast in my "creamy" pasta dishes. It's not a baking or brewers yeast but a deactivated yeast from a single-celled organism, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, which is grown on molasses and then harvested, washed, and dried with heat to kill or “deactivate” it. Nutritional yeast has a nutty, cheesy flavor and is very high in B12 vitamins which most people are deficient in causing a variety of ailments from weakness/fatigue to digestive issues.  It's also very high in iron and best yet, it's a complete protein!

Ingredients

1 package of campanile (or similar shaped) pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 cups mushrooms, sliced; button, cremini, portobello or other
1 Japanese (or small) eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon real butter
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 cup raw, unsalted cashews {*soaked for at least 3 hours or overnight}
2-3 tablespoons *nutritional yeast
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon dried tarragon (optional, adds nutritional value and flavor)
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
parsley for garnish



Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, In a large sauté pan, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, chopped eggplant and mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and saute for 5-7 minutes until soft and onions are browned.
In a blender add cashews and broth. Blend on high for 2 minutes or until smooth. Pour the sauce into the sauté pan with the veggies. Add nutritional yeast, spices and salt and pepper to taste.
Drain the pasta, spoon into bowls and top with the sauce. Garnish with chopped, curly parsley. 

An InLinkz Link-up

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Grilled Eggplant Caprese with Parmesan and Garlic White Bean Puree

Summer in Phoenix means very long, hot days and cooking is the very last thing I want to do. Sitting by the pool with an ice cold drink while waiting for my grill to work it's magic on these eggplants however, is my idea of a perfect summer supper. Grilling thick slices of eggplant brings out a wonderful smokey flavor that baking just can't replicate. In a pinch broiling them will do but I find that not only is the flavor not up to par but they turn out a bit soggier than when on the grill.











Now that the kids are out of school I seem to have lost any and all motivation to cook over involved meals. We have a fun, semi-structured summer plan to keep our bodies in motion and our minds from turning into jello. On the 3 days during the week that I work my mom is nice enough to have a short, fun and interactive lesson planned for them. They've been learning about insects, ocean creatures and the different parts of plants so far. After their lesson they do a fun project or a craft about what they learned.

On the week they learned about insects, they learned all about bees and how they make honey and interact with each other in the hive. We have a fun trip to a small, family owned farm near our house that has several bee hives on site! How cool! This will also let them see how and where plants, our food in particular grow. Right now they think that bananas grow at the grocery store and hot dogs grow on trees. O.K. not really, but living in the city they've only seen the few pathetic plants and herbs that mommy tries to grow in pots. So we are looking forward to a trip to a real farm.

Eggplant is almost at the end of it's season here in the Phoenix desert so we will have to pick up several while we are at the farm along with heirloom tomatoes, peppers, purple and green beans, 

summer squash and strawberries. 

Tonapah Rob's Vegetable Farm. Heirloom Tomatoes

I'll have to post about the whole bee hive experience and pick up a bottle of the local, Organic honey they produce there! They also have over 300 hens so hopefully we will get some nice fresh eggs. 

So excited!

Simple Summer Supper

For the Eggplant Caprese

2 medium eggplants, sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
8-10 oz fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
fresh Parmesan, grated
handful of fresh basil, chopped
EVOO for brushing eggplant
salt

For the White Bean Puree

2 cups dry white beans
4 cups chicken broth or water
1 small leek (optional, for more flavor)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 head garlic
1 teaspoon EVOO
1 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked pepper

Preparation: The night before, soak your beans in a covered bowl of water.

In the morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place in a slow cooker with water, salt

bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Cook on low for 8 hours. Do not pick up lid.

Putting it all together:

Fire up your grill on medium heat.

Using a paring knife, remove peel from eggplant. Slice into 1/2 pieces. 

Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. 

Remove loose skin from garlic. Cut the top 1/4 inch off of the head of garlic.

Lightly drizzle the exposed garlic cloves with oil. Place on grill. 

Cut the dark green leaves off the leek, discard. Slice the remaining white and light green

stalk in half lengthwise. Brush lightly with oil. Place leek cut side down on grill.

Place eggplant on grill and press lightly. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side (leave the leek face down). 

I like to close the grill lid to let the smoke work it's magic. Be careful not to let them burn.

Remove from grill. Set eggplant aside. Carefully chop leek into small pieces.

Meanwhile, remove rosemary and bay leaves from cooked beans. 

Put leek into the slow cooker with the beans. Carefully squeeze out cooked garlic cloves into

beans. Using an immersion blender, puree the beans until smooth. 

Spoon onto a deep plate. Top with freshly cracked pepper.

On top of the bean puree, place a slice of grilled eggplant, top with slice of mozzarella, tomato, chopped basil, repeat. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with basil.

I know it may sound like a lot of preparation but it's really not. I just wanted to explain in detail.  Also, 

the flavor of the bean puree was so complex thanks to slow cooking in the herbs, the grilled garlic and leek and paired wonderfully with the eggplant caprese.

 It makes this a complete and very satisfying dinner. 

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Smokey Baba Ganoush {roasted eggplant dip}

Teenagers. sighhhh.  Why didn't anyone ever warn me about how exhausting, annoying and all around taxing teenagers are? I'm pretty sure that had someone warned me I would have planned better. Prepared myself in some way, maybe gone to  pre-conditioning therapy, meditated more or sent him to boarding school at age 13. That would have been smart, best for everyone. Had someone only warned me.








I'm trying really hard to look on the bright side of the situation, see the positive. There are a couple I think. He never did drugs, drank (that I know of anyway) is a well mannered and mostly happy go lucky kid. He is healthy (well until I get through with him after this latest shenanigan anyway) and has potential..... I hope.

Hope. Pray. Wait. That's really all a mother can do when your teenager goes off to college for his freshman year, all expenses paid for by dear old mom and dad and comes home with a big, FAT 1.0 GPA. Yup.

My son. The boy we raised and taught to be responsible, trustworthy and work hard in life. The boy who was in Honors, AP and IB courses throughout high school. The boy who may or may not be cut out of our WIll. Not that we have any money left after throwing it away on what turned out to basically be a one year, $12,000 all expenses paid vacation in Eastern Arizona, middle of nowhere USA.


Hope. Pray. Wait.


Time for the boy to take responsibility for his own actions. Self accountability. Figure out things for himself. Hopefully not crash and burn and when he inevitably does, I pray he will man up and make things right. Finish school and be a strong, smart independent young man who comes groveling back to his poor defeated mom and dad and begs for our forgiveness and tells us how incredibly smart we really were.

What? O.K. so maybe that last part is a bit of a stretch.



Which brings me to baba ganoush. Of course.

BRAIN FOOD, Cardiovascular Health and Free Radical Protection

In addition to featuring a host of vitamins and minerals like fiber, magnesium and potassium, eggplant also contains important phytonutrients, many which have antioxidant activity. 

Research on eggplant has focused on an anthocyanin phytonutrient found in eggplant skin called nasunin. Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage. 

photo source

For more information on how to choose and store eggplant visit World's Healthiest Foods

Smokey Baba Ganoush {Roasted Eggplant Dip}


recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Small Plates by Joanne Wier, published 1998


TIME    45 MINUTES      SERVES    4

Ingredients 

• 1 large eggplant

• 1/4 cup tahini, plus more as needed

• 3-5 garlic cloves, roasted

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin  

• salt, to taste

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

Directions 

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill. 

Preheat an oven to 400°F. 

Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on the grill 4 to 5 inches from the fire. 

Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, 10 to 15 minutes.  

Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. 

Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin. 

Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl. 

Using a fork, mash the eggplant to a paste. 

Add the 1/4 cup tahini, roasted garlic,1/4 cup lemon juice, paprika and cumin and mix well. 

Season with salt, then taste and add more lemon juice, if needed. 

Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well. 

Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley. Place the olives around the sides.

Bon Apetite!

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Eggplant & Tomato Rustic Pasta Bake

The fresh herbs are the key component of this rustic dish. Since there is no sauce, the flavors come from the herbs and roasting of the veggies.The ricotta is dropped in by spoonfuls throughout the pasta adding a wonderful, creamy, rich flavor that is

guilt free!

I love this pasta made with semolina! I get mine at Costco in a variety pack, they also have spagetti noodles. It cooks up perfectly and is so much better for you than "white, enriched" pasta. I've tried to love whole wheat pasta but just can't get past the gritty, cardboard taste. Semolina is just as good for you and tastes wonderful.

Actually, even though 100% durum wheat isn’t as dark of a color as something labeled “whole wheat,” it actually is a coarsely ground whole grain. Durum wheat is a class of wheat. Durum wheat is preferred for pasta because it is high in protein, dense and strong. Semolina is 100 % whole grain, because it contains the entire wheat berry ( the entire wheat kernel, without the hull, which contains the bran, germ, and endosperm.) and the full spectrum of nutrients and fiber. In contrast, “white” pasta is refined and processes out much of the nutritional value. In short, duram semolina is the gritty coarse particles of wheat left after the finer flour has passed through a bolting machine.

Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 30 min. & 20 min.
Serves 6-8

You will need:

9 oz. of Semolina, Rigattoni pasta, cooked according to package
about 1 cup of Ricotta Cheese ( or lowfat cottage cheese)
2 medium eggplants (pick eggplants that are firm and shiny)
12-14 Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 Vidallia Onion (sweet onion)
1 medium Red Bell Pepper (High in vitamins C, B6, A and E and Iron, Fiber & Potassium.)
1 TBSP EVOO
fresh herbs, Thyme, Oregano, Basil and Parsley
Kosher salt for preparing eggplant

Putting it all Together:

~ First! Peel eggplant with a butcher knife; don't be afraid to try new veggies, they LOVE you! I don't worry about peeling it perfectly. I like to leave a bit of the skin on, it looks pretty.
~ Slice the eggplant into about 1 1/2 inch slices. Then, cut slices into quarters. Place cut eggplant into large colander a bit at a time sprinkling generously with salt after each layer. This extracts the slight bitter taste. I fill a bowl or large zip lock bag with water and place it on top of the eggplant to help extract the juices. Leave alone for 30-40 minutes.
~ Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400̊ . Cut your cherry tomatoes in half. Cut your onion and RBP into pieces as big as the tomatoes.
~ Place all veggies except eggplant into a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tsp of EVOO, mix to coat (I've found you need to use less oil when you do it this way). Put on baking sheet and into oven for 15 minutes. Remove, set aside.
~ Rinse eggplant under cold running water very well to remove salt. Put them on a kitchen towel, pat to dry. Put eggplant into the same bowl you used for the onion & RBP and drizzle them with a TBSP EVOO, toss to coat. Eggplant soaks up oil so don't use too much! It doesn't need to look evenly coated.
~ Spread evenly on baking sheet and cook at 400̊ for 15 minutes. Don't crowd your veggies or they will steam and be soggy. You want to roast them not steam them.
~ While eggplant is roasting, boil pasta al dente.
~ Put all veggies along with cooked pasta into a casserole dish.
~ Roughly chop and then sprinkle all the herbs onto pasta mix.
~ Gently toss ingredients around to combine and to coat the dish with oil.
Drop Ricotta Cheese by spoonfuls onto pasta mix.
Bake at 400̊ for about 20 minutes.


I hope I didn't make that sound difficult because it really isn't!
I just feel the need to explain things in detail.
Let me know what you guys think. I would really appreciate any and all comments or suggestions!


PRINT THIS RECIPE

Serving Size 1 (332g)
Recipe makes 6 servings
Calories 309
Calories from Fat 78 (25%)

Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 8.7g 13%
Saturated Fat 3.9g 19%
Monounsaturated Fat 3.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 20mg 6%
Sodium 43mg 1%
Potassium 676mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 47.2g 15%
Dietary Fiber 8.6g 34%
Sugars 7.3g
Protein 12.7g 25%

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Baked Parmesan Eggplant Dippers with Marinara

Did I have you at marinara or at Parmesan? I could sprinkle Parmesan on a bowl of warm, freshly made marinara and eat it with a spoon. Not weird at all.  I do have a glass of red wine, preferably a good Malbec from Argentina or Chile (is there any other kind) as an accompaniment if it makes you feel any better.  A perfectly well rounded meal after a long day of saving lives (both at the hospital and on my days off at home with the kids) if I might say so myself.


I'm not trying to delude from the fact that eggplant is one of my favorite foods in the world, because it is. But give me some cheese and a nice sauce (say that in your best New Jersey accent if you please) and I'm perfectly smitten. Who has time for a real dinner on a Tuesday night anyway?







In my ongoing experiment  quest to get the sweet darlings to eat their vegetables I noticed that anything in the form of a french fry is easier to shove down their throats   coax them lovingly to eat than the same vegetable is when say steamed, boiled, baked or sautéed.  Desperate times my friends. I'm not proud.



So if your in the mood for some good Italian snackin' then this is your lucky day. I'm telling you, easy as pie. Ooooooooo, pyyyyyeeeeee.  Focus Gwen, focus.



So we will bake our cute little french fried eggplants instead of frying them because we are being good and health conscience and want to fit back into our 'skinny' jeans that we've been trying to fit back into since child  numero tres  was born 6 or so odd years ago.   Figuratively speaking.

Cheesy yet satisfying kind of like the Twilight series.

PREP TIME     20      COOK TIME    30 MINUTES       SERVES  4

You Will Need:

2 medium sized eggplant

1 cup Panko bread crumbs  

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons corn starch

3 eggs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

olive oil or spray for baking pan

Your favorite (preferably Organic or home made) Marinara for dipping

Preheat oven to 400F 

Gather 3 small bowls. In one place flour and corn starch. In the second the eggs, lightly whisked with a fork. In the third the bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, 1/2 of the salt and pepper.

Peel eggplant leaving a few narrow strips of the skin in tact. Cut the top and bottom of each. Cut a thin strip of the eggplant lengthwise so you can easily lay it on its side to cut into strips.

Lay the eggplant on a cutting board on it's cut side and cut lengthwise into even, long strips about 1 inch wide. Stack the slices 2 at a time on top of each other and cut again, lengthwise into even pieces 1 inch thick. Now, cut into strips about 3 inches thick.
Place cut eggplant into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining salt. 

Place eggplant pieces 1 or 2 at a time into flour mixture. Next into eggs, then into breadcrumbs. Place evenly onto a lightly greased baking pan. Leaving a bit of space between each piece. 

Bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and your mouth is watering. 

Serve with really warm marinara.  My favorite brands are Pomi,  Muir Glen and Trader Joe's. 

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