Are you overlooking the Eggplant?

I just picked the most beautiful eggplant from our garden! I do believe the last one of the season as Fall continues to bring its lovely cooler temps. But whether you can pick an eggplant from your garden or you buy one at the store, it seems to me to be one of those overlooked yummy veggies that I wanted to give a "shout out" to today! So if you had eggplant as a kid, and it was just yucky to you, think again! These purple gems are loaded with health benefits! And prepared in the right way, you'll see what you thought was "yucky" as a kid, is going to be your new favorite ingredient!

DID YOU KNOW?

Health Benefits of the EGGPLANT:

• Eggplants contain many phytonutrients rich in antioxidants. The most important phytonutrient in eggplant is nasunin. Nasunin protects cell membranes from free radical damage.
  Eggplants also include a compound called terpene, which is known to lower cholesterol.

• Eggplant is a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, manganese, copper, and thiamin (vitamin B1).
  A cup of chopped eggplant is practically fat-free and contains only 27 calories.
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HOW TO PREPARE YOUR EGGPLANT:

(you can bake, roast or grill your eggplant to add to things like sandwiches, side dishes, salads and hummus; the ideas are limitless!)

ROASTED EGGPLANT:
Chop eggplant into bite size pieces or rounds, whichever you prefer.
Sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt and fresh herbs and roast in your oven at 450 for 20 minutes on a baking sheet.

MY FAVORITE HUMMUS RECIPE!!
if you think you don't like the taste of eggplant but LOVE hummus, this one's for you!
(roasted eggplant and white bean hummus by Giada Delaurentis)

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) eggplant or 3 Japanese eggplants, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1/3 cup
• Kosher salt, for seasoning, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place an oven rack in the middle.

Place the eggplant on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cooled eggplant, beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place the hummus in a dipping bowl and serve with the cucumber slices. Alternatively, spoon the hummus over the cucumber slices and arrange on a serving platter.