Until I can get down and up my stairs easily, I am going to post some recipes, tips, thoughts, etc.. I did go to the Dr today for a check up on my new knee and they were amazed I was not taking any pain meds. I told them, except for going up and down the stairs, the knee, ligaments, muscles, and joint does not hurt. She told me that was really amazing, as most people are still on heavy duty pain meds 5 wks from surgery. Guess I did something right this time!! So, going up the stairs is the problem… if I had just built a small restroom down on that lower level……I could stay down there and stamp all day and night!!!
If you’re like me, and several other million Americans, each year at this time, we all try to tackle the “battle of the bulge”…or make a New Year’s resolution to take off some pounds, inches, improve our diet and our health. There are many diets out there, but one highly recommended is the Mediterranean Diet. My daughter and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE mediterranean and middle eastern orign recipes. One such recipe is something called Baba Ghannouj (eggplant dip). I have included one version of the recipe here, and a picture. We get ours from several places…. Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, and Cafe Istanbul (the best place for Middle Eastern food in Albuquerque). Here is one recipe: I found on “About.com”, a very informative site.
Baba Ghanouj
Baba ghannouj is a popular dip made from eggplant and tahini. It has a smooth, creamy texture, and a slightly smoked taste. It is traditionally served with pita bread (toasted or fresh), however Many people like it as a chip dip with potato chips or tortilla chips.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup lemon juice (depending on taste)
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tespoons olive oil
- Garnishment
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake eggplant for 30 minutes, or until outside is crisp and inside is soft.
Allow to cool for 20 minutes.
Cut open eggplant and scoop out the flesh into colander and allow to drain for 10 minutes. Removing the excess liquid helps to eliminate a bitter flavor.
Place eggplant flesh in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mash together. You can also use a food processor instead of by hand. Pulse for about 2 minutes.
Place in serving bowl and top with lemon juice and olive oil. Add other garnishments according to taste.
Serve with warm or toasted pita or flatbread. Enjoy!
Garnishment Ideas for Baba Ghannouj
Baba ghannouj always has to have olive oil on top for garnishment. However you can spice things up a bit by adding crushed red pepper, a dash of cumin, parsley or coriander.
