Healing Foods: Spicy Eggplant Dip

This weekend, I invited my friend Heidi to join me to cook for our friend Gabrielle. I was planning to make Gabrielle some soothing soups since her chemo session had taken a toll on her tastebuds. Heidi and I both did our weekly grocery shopping at our favorite market, and came back to my house with lots of ingredients to cook with for the week.

As we talked about how nice it is to cook together for our friend, we decided that we should cook up some things for our families that Sunday that we could have early in the week---less pressure after work to whip up dinner if it’s already halfway there!

Heidi introduced me to an amazing spicy eggplant dip. Eggplants are split in half, dusted with oil and turmeric, and roasted in the oven until soft as a base for the dip. The eggplant and turmeric alone have many healthy properties.

Eggplant contains nasunin, a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger shown to protect cell membranes from damage. Nasunin has been found to protect the lipids (fats) in brain cell membranes. Cell membranes are almost entirely composed of lipids and are responsible for protecting the cell from free radicals, letting nutrients in and wastes out. Other phytonutrients in eggplant have been shown to lower cholesterol and aid in lessening joint pain in arthritis patients.

Turmeric benefits include aiding in joint pain and ailments, digestion, and liver detoxification. For years, turmeric has been used in ayurvedic medicine for its health benefits.

Once the eggplant is cooked, it is mixed with onion, red chili pepper and yogurt. Served with pita chips, crudités, or as a filling for wraps, it is a deliciously healthy dish.

So with gratitude to my friend Heidi, here is her recipe for spicy eggplant dip...

2 eggplants cut in half

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped into small dice

1 red chili, seeded and chopped fine (I use the milder version)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Fage Greek Yogurt

Split eggplants in half and place on a baking sheet, skin side down. Rub with olive oil, and dust with turmeric. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until soft. Cool.

Remove eggplant from skin and place in a bowl. With a fork, smash eggplant, then add onion, chili, salt, pepper and yogurt and mix. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve with pita chips and crudités.