Tag Archives: Healthy

Eggplant : Tapanade Recipe

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Easy Eggplant Tapanade

Easy Eggplant Tapanade

This is one of my go-to healthy appetizer recipes that can be made quickly or made ahead. Like all of the recipes I post here, you can change it up easily adjusting the measurements or using different spices and seasonings and it will still be easy and delicious. While an eggplant tapanade is usually considered Italian, it is also something commonly seen throughout the Middle East. The spices I use were inspired by an eggplant dish at a Moroccan restaurant we used to go to for special occasions. The vinegar and honey add a great “sweet and sour” element to the recipe.

 

The only problem with frying eggplant in oil is that it absorbs so much of the oil that it becomes heavy and caloric. I start with a little bit of oil for flavor and add water instead. It

You can replace the tomato paste and honey with ketchup.

You can replace the tomato paste and honey with ketchup.

works great and the eggplant stays moist. 

 

  • 1 Eggplant, cut into cubes
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
  • Olive Oil, 2 Tablespoons
  • *Tomato Paste, 4 Tablespoons
  • *Honey, 2 Tablespoons

(*Instead of tomato paste and honey, you can use ketchup.)

  • Capers, 2 Tablespoons 
  • Ground Cumin, 1 Tablespoon 
  • Ground Chili Powder, 1 Tablespoon 
  • Fresh Basil and/or Fresh Cilantro chopped

 

Slice the Eggplant into rounds first, then into cubes.

Slice the Eggplant into rounds first, then into cubes.

Slice the eggplant into rounds and then into cubes.

Tear the red pepper open and remove the step and seeds with your hands.

Chop the onion. 

 

 

 

Heat the oil in the pan and add the vegetables. Stir.

Add a little water (1/3 of a cup or so) and continue to cook on a low flame. Stir. 

Add more water as needed to keep the pan moist, not dry.

 

Use water in addition to the oil so the tapanade stays moist, not oilyl.

Use water in addition to the oil so the tapanade stays moist, not oily.

When eggplant is soft, add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Cool and serve with crusty bread, crackers or endive leaves if you eat gluten free.

 

Curried Lentil Salad

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Just had a great gig at a Concert in the Park in San Juan Capistrano. There were so many friendly families and kids and once the sun went down, a nice breeze came in

Great gig. Warm breezes. Summer in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Great gig. Warm breezes. Summer in San Juan Capistrano, California.

over the mountains.

I love Concerts in the Park, whether I’m singing or watching other bands play. It’s so fun to bring and share food and wine with friends. I am sad that Summer is almost over.

 

This is one of my “Picnic Basket” side dishes that is inspired by the Indian Dahl recipe. It is incredibly inexpensive to make and a little goes a long way. When I was in college, I’d make a huge pot when I was out of money and eat it on toast topped with sour cream. Sometimes, I’d eat it for a week until I had money for groceries again. Lentils have no fat, are low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients – even iron so if your’e anemic, lentils are a great staple to add to your diet. And as usual, this side dish recipe is incredibly easy to make. 

 

Easy Lentil Salad Recipe.

Easy Lentil Salad Recipe.

  • 1 Cup Dried Lentils
  • 2 Cups Water or Broth
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1/4 Diced Onion
  • 2 Tablespoons Red Wine or Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive OIl
  • 1 Tablespoon Tamari or Soy Sauce (left it out of this batch as I had run out.)
  • 2 Tablespoons Curry Powder and/or Cumin
Lentils have no fat and are high in nutrients.

Lentils are high in nutrients.

 

Boil water (or broth) and add lentils.

 

 

Cook for 20-30 minutes until water is gone. (Drain if you have to). Remove from heat (don’t overcook.You want the lentils to have a bite to them and not be mushy).

 

 

Yummy Chilled Curried Lentil Salad. So easy.

Yummy Chilled Curried Lentil Salad. So easy.

Cool the lentils. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Done!

 

 

 

 

Yogurt Parfait – my daughter’s favorite healthy snack or breakfast

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A Seinfeld episode is what made me realize that we often give names to foods that make them sound better than they are (even if they are delicious). The example? (I’m paraphrasing). George says, “Crudités….they are just you know, like cut vegetables, right?!….”

 

 

Peaches are in season, but you can use berries.

Peaches are in season, but you can use berries.

Yogurt Parfait by any other name is layered yogurt and fruit. Oh well, maybe add some granola and honey. Doesn’t sound quite as enticing, does it? But I have to tell ya, when I pack the ingredients separately in a way that my daughter (and her friends if it’s after school) can layer together to make their own snack, and if I’m lucky, I happen to have some clean see-through glass options so there’s actually some sort of “presentation” going on….and I say, Hey, LOOK! It’s a Yogurt Parfait….it’s a winner!

 

 

  • Plain yogurt
  • Cut fruit (frozen or fresh Peaches or any type of berry, like fresh Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, MythicalBerries…..etc….)
  • Granola , or (simple oven toasted sugared oatmeal)
  • Honey 

 

 

Such an easy recipe, your kids can make it on their own after school.

Such an easy recipe, your kids can make it on their own after school.

Did you ever make sand castles as a kid? Or layer sand in a bottle or bucket? No different really. Just layer ingredients above in this order. So easy! Either make ahead of time for guests in crystal glasses with fancier ingredients (like crème fraîche) or, let your kids make their own in what appear to be crystal like wine glasses from either the Dollar Tree or 99 cents store (one dollar a piece, such a deal) or in a clear recyclable plastic cup that wants to grow up to be a bike some day and ridden on the strand.  

 

 

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables

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Eggplant, Zucchini, Peppers and Onions are great options for grilling.

Eggplant, Zucchini, Peppers and Onions are great options for grilling.

Many restaurants make this grilled vegetables recipe. Often, these types of grilled vegetables are what people think of when they think of the Mediterranean diet, but interestingly many of the vegetables that are often grilled originate from all over the world  (e.g. squash comes from the America’s , eggplant from Asia, onions from the Middle East etc…) 

 

 

Grilled vegetables are delicious served as a fiber rich, gluten-free, healthy, vegan side dish or in a vegetarian sandwich between crusty sourdough or gluten-free bread, or (as a restaurant I worked for served as a special), in between a portobello mushroom “burger” with delicious easy to make garlic aioli.

 

 

Vegetables cut for grilling.

Vegetables cut for grilling.

Fresh herbs and other flavors are best added after grilling. Do brush the pieces with oil before you grill to prevent them from burning. We make a batch almost every Sunday to keep in the fridge for future salads or snacks.

 

  • 1 Eggplant, sliced in 3/4″ circles
  • 2 Red, Green or Yellow Peppers ( stem removed and cut in quarters).
  • 1-2 Red or Yellow Onions sliced into 3/4″ slices
  • 2-3 Zucchini and/or Long Yellow Squash, cut lengthwise
  • Olive Oil 
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Fresh chopped Herbs of choice (optional)
  • Pinch of chopped Garlic (also optional)

 

Rinse and slice each vegetable for grilling. For peppers, remove the stems and inner veins (the white “pith”) of each pepper with your hands (it’s easier than a knife). Slice the zucchini lengthwise. You could choose to cut the vegetables smaller and use a grill pan with holes so the vegetables would not fall through the grill grates. This is a great, easy grilling option!

 

 

Brush vegetables with oil before grilling to prevent them from burning.

Brush vegetables with oil before grilling to prevent them from burning.

Put some oil in a small bowl, and with a pastry brush, brush oil on each piece (both sides) or better yet, put your kids to work and get them to do it! They start painting in Kindergarten, right? 

 

Place all the vegetable pieces on a grill and flip the pieces as each side browns. The pieces will finish cooking at different times (around 5 minutes or more on each side) depending upon their size and also where you place them on the grill as most grills have some hotter areas where items cook more quickly. Flip and remove pieces as they look ready. You can also grill on a grill plate on top of your kitchen burners (as you may have seen on TV on the Foodnetwork or other cooking shows) or even George Foreman type electric grills work well with this recipe!

 

Vegetables after grilling.

Vegetables after grilling.

When vegetables are done, add salt and pepper and a litle more olive oil and  balsamic vinegar (or other light dressing). If you like, add a small chopped clove of garlic (or substitute a pinch of granulated garlic or garlic salt), plus any fresh, chopped herb like fresh basil. We usually omit the herbs and garlic. But herbs and garlic add a nice flavor. These vegetables are even better the next day!