November 21, 2024

At Home with GCH: Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanouj)

March 22, 2013 by

Baba Ghanouj 2

While I am a huge fan of french onion dip – you know, the kind made with a tub of sour cream and a packet of french onion soup – I know it is not the healthiest for me.  I firmly believe that when it comes to your diet, you should eat as well as possible, load up on veggies and lean protein, and avoid processed foods. That said, you gotta enjoy life, and I think it’s okay to have a treat every once in a while.  The problem is when “every once in a while” turns into “I deserve it now” which eventually becomes an everyday habit.  I speak from experience!  So one way I’ve found to subvert those cravings for treats is to find delicious alternatives that are nutritious as well.  Move over potato chips and french onion dip, here comes baba ghanouj!

Baba ghanouj (pronounced “gah-noosh”) is a roasted eggplant dip.  You can usually find it alongside hummus and pita wedges in Middle Eastern restaurants.  The only ingredient you may not have on hand is tahini, which is sesame seed paste.  I can buy it in my regular Vons and, depending on how well-stocked your grocery store is, you can find it with the Indian/Middle Eastern food, or with the Kosher foods.  It’s rich and creamy—almost like peanut butter made from sesame seeds.  It keeps well in the fridge, and I use it to make salad dressings, too (like this one for a kale salad.)  This recipe also adds a roasted bell pepper.  It isn’t necessary, but  it adds another layer of smoky sweetness that I really enjoy.  Ready?  Let’s get dipping!

Baba Ghanouj_
Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanouj)

Ingredients:

  • 3 Japanese eggplants, or one very large regular eggplant
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2-3 tablespoons tahini (I like to add a lot!)
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon ground toasted cumin
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 roasted bell pepper  (Trader Joe’s has some great ones in a jar)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400*F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Poke some holes in the eggplant with a fork or knife and drizzle with the oil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let sit in the oven for 30 minutes to cool.
  2. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, slit it open and scoop out all the insides.  Transfer the eggplant to the bowl of a food processor.  Add the remaining ingredients and blend together.  Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

I serve this with veggie sticks.  The kids like pita bread, Wheat Thins, and any other cracker or pretzel I give them!

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

If you would like to contact Dana in regards to this blog, please email her at Dana@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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GCH:What’s on Your Plate? – Eat Your Greens

December 7, 2012 by

EAT YOUR GREENS

by Renee Porter Sullivan, CHt

Popeye-With-Spinach-The-Belgravia-Centre

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Ingredients

1 quart Filtered Water
1/4 tsp. Unrefined Sea Salt or Real Salt
1-2 Bunches Kale, Chard, Spinach, Collards, Mustard, or Turnip greens
Cool Filtered Water plus 1 tray of ice cubes to cool greens
Dressing Options:
Olive oil and lemon juice
Vinaigrette
Tahini or peanut dressing 
Your choice of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free dressing be creative and experiment!
 

Cooking Instructions

 

  1. Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large pot.  Stainless Steel is best in this case. If you have a smaller size pot, cook the greens in two batches
  2. Wash the greens well.  Run your fingers down the leaves and stems to make certain there is no sand left on the greens.  It only takes a little remaining sand to ruin some really great food.
  3. Hold on to the bottom of the stem firmly and run your circled fingers backward down the stem to remove the tough stem from the leaves of the greens.  If you would be more comfortable trimming the stem away with a knife, that works too.
  4. Tear the leaves into large pieces. The leaves can be cooked whole and cut later as well.  Either way will work fine.
  5. Immerse the  greens in boiling water. Boil uncovered over medium-high heat. The greens will cook in 3-7 minutes.  Chard and Spinach take less time to cook than Collards or other more hardy greens, stir the greens and continue cooking until tender and vibrant green.
  6. When the greens are done, remove them from the pot and plunge them in ice water to stop the cooking.
  7. Toss with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. This is my favorite way to have greens.  Plain and simple.  Bursting with vitamins and fiber.  Or, experiment with your favorite gluten-free dressing combination.
  8. Refrigerate the left overs in glass or stainless steel.  Use within 3 Days.

Variations:

You can use these green leaves whole for Gluten Free Roll-ups. Collards work really well for this because of their size and strength. Cook the leaves whole without removing the stems.  Just cut off the tough bottom section. Omit the dressing and place 2-3 tablespoons chicken, tuna or egg salad, a meat ball, or sliced steak on each leaf.  Fold in the sides, roll up the Package, secure with a toothpick.  Chill if desired and serve.  Be creative and add colorful blanched vegetables to the mix like red bell peppers, or sun dried tomatoes, onions, anything at all.  These rolls can even be sliced and served for snacks.  

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