Gluten Free Nutrition Unplugged

November 23, 2011

Eager for Exotic Eggplant ? Try this Dip

Eager for Exotic Eggplant ? Try this Dip

 

There’s something quite magical about dips ! Think about how boring and plain chips, nuggets and veggies would be without the glamorous DIP. I LOVE dips and  cannot do without them . One of my absolute favorite is an eggplant based dip called Baba Ganoush. It conjures up memories of the  Moroccan restaurant with  dancers and exotic music where I first fell in love with this dish with just one glorious dip. I revamped the recipe with some ‘ Nutrition Bytes’  and  came up with a mouth-watering delicious luscious dip which tastes DELISH with pita bread, pita chips or as a spread on flatbread sandwich. White beans and  tahini ( sesame seed paste) increase the fiber . Roasting the eggplant give it a mild smokey flavor and makes it a Dip to Die for !

Aliases for Eggplant

Called Eggplant in the US, Canada and Australia ;  Aubergine in Britain and France ;  Brinjal in South Africa and India;  Melanzane in Italy which means Crazy apple

Some Nutrition Nuts and Bolts about the key ingredients

Eggplant :  has notable levels of dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, B vitamins, folate, and magnesium. Eggplants also have good antioxidant content. Nasunin, a powerful antioxidant  helps protect lipids surrounding brain cells from damage. It also works to hunt down and neutralize free radicals in the body, which helps fight against various forms of cancer. Nasunin is found in the skin of eggplants only, so although you may not get it in this dip make sure to leave it on when you cook it up!

Olive Oil : delivers a good dose of Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) healthy fats , Omega 3,  powerful antioxidants and polyphenols. The  extra virgin variety has the highest heart healthy benefits so use generously.

Beans : bursting with all the goodness of fiber and antioxidants , beans are my favorite  ‘add on ‘ to any dish.

Sesame seeds : High in folate, Vitamin E and MUFA  sesame seeds improve in flavor when roasted.

 

Print
Baba Ganoush Eggplant Dip

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 10-12 servings

Serving Size: 4 oz

Ingredients

  • 2 large Eggplants
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 2 tbs Olive Oil
  • 2 tbs Lemon Juice
  • 2 tbs Tahini or Roasted Sesame Seeds ( optional)
  • 1/2 cup canned Butter Beans
  • 1 tsp Chilli Powder or Chilli Flakes
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

  1. Poke Eggplant with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or till soft.
  2. Cool slightly and scoop out inside of eggplant, leaving skin behind.
  3. In a blender or food processor, combine eggplantand remaining ingredients untill smooth.
  4. If using sesame seeds instead of tahini, roast seeds lightly and then process with ingredients.
  5. Enjoy with Pita chips, Tortilla chips, as a Pita sandwich spread or just simply serve as a side.
http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2011/11/23/eager-for-exotic-eggplant-try-this-dip/

 

 

To read more about the benefits of Olive Oil read my post on a Heart Healthy Version of butter chicken

Make sure you  peek into my new  ” About Me ” page !

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Welcome to my Space

Hi there! I’m Sunithi, AKA Sue, a registered dietitian with a sweet tooth and a passion for eating healthy (quite a combo) currently working as an independent consultant in the DC Metro area. I’m also a blogger, health nut, nutrition geek who jogs to keep sane :)! I love to revamp recipes and add some ‘Nutrition Bytes’ to them. All my recipes are gluten free! I also blog on natural health and fitness! Visit often and drop me a note if you have any nutrition queries!

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