Baba Ganoush (roasted eggplant dip)

Middle eastern cuisine incorporates a variety of different vegetables. One favorite is the regal eggplant. Weather roasted, grilled, fried, or baked; eggplants have a very unique and potent flavor that will get your mouth watering. It is also used as a main dish and not just as a side.

 Now here is my all time fave eggplant dish.

I love, love, love baba ganoush. It's fantastic with toasted Indian Na'an bread.  Sometimes I  even use in chicken shawarma sandwiches and as a spread on my pita or on artisan bread. I also use it in a crudities platter. To make my dish look even more creative, I take a red or yellow bell pepper, clean out the inside and use it as the bowl for the baba ganoush. Yumm!!

• 1 eggplant
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish 
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional for garnish)

- Place eggplant in the oven for 30 minutes at 250° F, turning occasionally.

- Peel the eggplant and mash in a bowl with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Add remaining ingredients (garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini) and mix well and cool in fridge for about 1 hour.  Can be prepared no more than 2 days in advance for best flavor and freshness
Enjoy in good health...xoxo

Avocado Lime Salad

 A refreshing Avocado-lime salad.  You will need:

• 2 Hearts of romaine lettuce rinsed well and chopped
• 3-4 firm Roma tomatoes diced
• 2 ripe avocados cut in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 small to medium red onion sliced into thin long strips
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed twice
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 can julienned beets (optional)

Make sure the salad is cooled in the fridge for at least 20 min after preparing.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4


For the dressing:

• 1 small lime, juiced
• 1 small lemon, juiced
• Salt and pepper, to taste...I only use sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper for best flavor
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, add more if you feel the need to after the salad and dressing are mixed

Let it sit a few minutes before serving so the flavors blend well and transfer to a beautiful salad bowl. This is always a winner, so save some for yourself on the side.


Enjoy it in good health..xoxoxo