Roasted Eggplant & Oven Dried Tomato Dip

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenRoasted Eggplant & Oven Dried Tomato Dip

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	5 minutes	Total Time	40 minutes
Servings	6	Cost Per Serving	$1.58

1	Medium Italian Eggplant
1 cup	Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup	Goat Cheese
1/2	Lemon, juice and zest
2 tbsp	Pine Nuts, toasted
1/4 cup	Parsley, roughly chopped
4 cloves	Garlic, unpeeled
1 tsp each	Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander
1 tbsp	Olive Oil
To taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat the oven the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and use your knife to score the cut side of the eggplant. Only cut about a ¼ inch deep. Season with a little olive oil, ground cumin, ground coriander and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
Place cut side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Put the garlic, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts on the same tray and bake in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the eggplant is soft.
Scoop out the flesh of the eggplant into a bowl and add the garlic, lemon juice and zest and goat cheese. Use two forks to mash the eggplant into a puree. Mix in the tomatoes, pine nuts and parsley. Season to taste.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for roasted eggplant and tomato dip

The skin of eggplant contains an antioxidant called nasunin. In animal studies, nasunin has been shown to protect the fat in the membranes of brain cells. The fat is an essential part of the membrane because it acts as a barrier between the cell and the outside environment.
Eggplants contain chlorogenic acid, one of the most powerful antioxidants we know of.In laboratory and animal studies, chlorogenic acid has been shown to have cancer-fighting properties and to lower LDL, the “lousy” type of cholesterol that increases risk of heart disease and stroke.
Eggplants, tomatoes and peppers are part of the Solanaceae plant family, commonly called the nightshades. Some websites suggest that people with arthritis or common pain try eliminating nightshades from their diet because they contain a chemical called solanine that may trigger pain in some people. Although there aren’t any research studies that support this, some people do have food intolerances. Speak to a registered dietitian before cutting foods out of your diet.