Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta

There are so many vegetables that I love...it's hard for me to pick a favorite, but eggplant is definitely in the top 5. And around this time of year they start appearing at the Red Stick Farmers Market. Last Thursday I bought 2 (for $1!) and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

There was a recipe from the 2005 July/August issue for Basic Roasted Eggplant with 3 accompanying recipes for eggplant salads: Curried Eggplant Salad with Peas and Cashews,

Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta, and Eggplant Salad with Tomatoes and Basil...hmm, which one to try first??

I went with the chickpea-feta version...I'm a sucker for feta! But I'm sure eggplant will find its way into my kitchen again really soon (um, like tomorrow morning after I head to the market) and I'll have to try the others. See the July/Aug EDF recipe list for links to the other two.

Eggplant Salad with Chickpeas and Feta

adapted from MarthaStewart's EDF

Makes 6 servings

3 pounds eggplant (about 3 medium), cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoon olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup (2 ounces) feta, crumbled

1/4 cup finely shredded basil

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Divide cubed eggplant between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1/2 a tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then spread in a single layer.

Roast, turning once, until golden and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely on sheets.

In a jar (or bowl) combine lemon juice, 2 remaining tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Shake (or whisk) to combine.

To a large bowl, add cooled eggplant, chickpeas, feta, and basil. Add vinaigrette and toss to combine.

Per serving - 218 calories, 10 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 28 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 2 fat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch)

Compared to original recipe - My version saves about 6 grams fat and 40 calories per serving (36 g fat and 240 calories per recipe)

Notes - The changes I made from the original recipe were 1) using less oil for roasting the eggplant, 2) cutting the amount of feta in half, and 3) swapping basil for the mint; I made extra vinaigrette and saved some to use for salads (I shredded romaine and radicchio, tossed them with a TINY bit of the saved dressing, and then topped the whole thing with the eggplant salad); I think it's a good idea to make the salad ahead of time, so that the flavors can blend for a while

Lagniappe...

Notice in the pic of the vinaigrette how there is about the same amount of lemon juice (bottom layer) as oil (top layer)...that's how I always make my salad dressing. I do a 1 to 1 ratio of fat to everything else. I usually don't even measure...squeeze the lemon (or pour vinegar), then match that amount with oil, add seasonings (salt, pepper, Dijon, garlic, etc), and done! This ensures that the dressing is "light" (i.e. without too much fat). Here is a previous post on making your own dressing.

The Good and the Bad...

First the good...LSU won today 41 to 13 - Geaux Tigers!

And now the bad...Hurricane Gustav is heading for us, and I've evacuated from Baton Rouge to Covington to stay with the rest of my family. Three years ago Katrina put a tree through our roof...hopefully things will be better this time around. Keep all of the Gulf Coast in your prayers.

Anyway I figure this was as good a time as any to blog.

I tried to find some "kid-friendly" recipes for those of you with picky eaters...healthy versions of spaghetti and meatballs, mini meatloaf, and a chilaquiles casserole (its kind of like an enchilada casserole).

The recipes are from several sources...Martha Stewart's Everyday Food (my favorite magazine), Eatingwell.com, and FoodNetwork (recipes from Ellie Krieger, a dietitian).

Broccoli, Chickpea, and Tomato Salad -

• Per serving - 131 calories, 5.9 g fat, 15.8 g carbohydrate, 5.5 g protein, 4.9 g fiber (exchanges: ½ protein, 1 fat, ½ starch, 1 ½ vegetable)
• Notes - Make this Sunday night, and have it for a healthy lunch all week; you could have it with some leftover grilled chicken or canned tuna (chunk light…packed in water!) and serve it over lettuce or spinach

Banana-Nutmeg Smoothie -

• Per serving - 120 calories, 1 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 25 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 2 g fiber (exchanges: 1 fruit, ¾ milk); I modified the original recipe by only using 2 bananas and using skim milk instead of whole
• Notes - Serve this for a quick breakfast, snack, or dessert; substitute cinnamon for the nutmeg if you like!

Edamame Spread -

• Per serving - 115 calories, 4.1 g fat, 10.4 g carbohydrate, 8.2 g protein, 4.2 g fiber (exchanges: 1 fat, 1 protein, ½ starch)
• Notes - Serve this as a dip for veggies…red bell pepper strips, carrot and celery sticks, radish and cucumber slices; this dip isn’t as “starchy” as other bean dips and would be a good snack (as long as you aren’t dipping with tortilla chips!)

Lemony Sautéed Shrimp with Broccoli and Peas -

• Per serving - 261 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 21.4 g carbohydrate, 30.4 g protein, 6.6 g fiber (exchanges: 3 ½ protein, 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 ½ fat); I modified the original recipe by only using 2 teaspoons of olive oil in step 1 (instead of 2 tablespoons of butter) and and using 1 tablespoon of butter in step 3
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with a whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta); this recipe takes a short cut by using frozen shrimp and peas...buying pre-chopped broccoli will make it even easier

Carrot-Cumin Slaw -

• Per serving - 100 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 3 g fiber (exchanges: 1 ½ fat, 1 ½ vegetable); I modified the original recipe by only using 2 tablespoons of canola oil instead of 1/4 cup
• Notes - I love slaw salads…I buy pre-shredded cabbage and carrots in the produce section; this one will go well with Mexican dishes…enchiladas, tacos, fajitas; add shredded chicken or canned black beans (rinsed and drained) and have this as a light lunch

Mixed Leaf Salad -

• Per serving - 48 calories, 3.6 g fat, 3.6 g carbohydrate, 1.2 g protein, 1 g fiber (exchanges: ½ fat, 1 vegetable)
• Notes - Makes 8 small servings (or 4 large); save time and buy 2 bags of mixed lettuce

Chilaquiles Casserole -

• Per serving - 245 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated), 31 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 6 g fiber (exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 protein, 2 fat)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with “carrot-cumin slaw”; one serving of this casserole provides nearly 25% of the Daily Value for fiber; on the website, some of the readers suggest using less enchilada sauce to keep the casserole from being too runny

Turkey Mini Meatloaves -

• Per serving - 196 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 18 g carbohydrate, 19 g protein, 3 g fiber (exchanges: ½ starch, ½ vegetable, 1 fat, 2.5 protein)
• Notes - Complete the meal and serve with “mixed-leaf salad” and oven-roasted sweet potato wedges

Turkey Meatballs with Quick And Spicy Tomato Sauce and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti -

• Per serving - 332 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated), 39 g carbohydrate, 23 g protein, 8 g fiber (exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1.5 fat, 2.5 protein)

Lagniappe...

Someone sent me an email to let me know which recipes they tried/liked/didn't like (which I really appreciate!)...one of her favorites was Ellie's Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach.

Here is an article and comparison on oatmeal...see if your favorite brand is one of the best. As I mentioned in the last post, I eat oatmeal for breakfast a lot...I add fruit and a few nuts and drink a glass of milk...whole grains and fiber from the fruit/oats and protein from the milk and nuts keep me full all morning! I don't use instant packaged oatmeal because I prefer to be creative and create my own flavor combinations and avoid any additives and artificial ingredients.

Here is a comparison/article on cold breakfast cereals too.