04/13/2026
EGGPLANT the Underappreciated PURPLE Vegetable: We all know we should eat more vegetables and fruits. Eggplant is technically considered a fruit, yet eggplant is called “the king of vegetables” in India. Who knew? Many people say they dislike eggplant. However, many people have not actually tried it. (Like Brussels sprouts until they became all the rage!)
Eggplant is low in calories and provides a lot of nutritional bang for the buck. Eggplant has a high-water content and is a good source of vitamin C and K, and minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, and copper, as well as fiber, folic acid, potassium and manganese.
Consuming foods like eggplant regularly will help keep you regular, as well as reduce incidence of cardiac risk due to its high fiber content. Eggplants are great sources of phytonutrients, those lovely defenders against free radical activity which can reduce risk for conditions such as cognitive decline, CAD, Diabetes, and cancer, as well as prevention of anemia due to its high copper content.
We love eggplant, of course! Marion recently made a grilled eggplant lasagna that was delicious. We like to make it in many different ways. Our good friends, Marylou and John make a delicious Asian garlic roasted eggplant.
What are some other ways to eat eggplant?
Baked, crunchy eggplant: slice the eggplant into strips or cut into rounds, sprinkle with salt, and let them sweat. Pat dry. Spritz with some olive oil then toss in a gluten free bread crumb-spice coating. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until crunchy.
Mashed into a dip: We love baba ghanoush which is made from roasted eggplants mixed with tahini, garlic, and EVOO. It is creamy, smoky, and delicious served with pita or bread.
Roasted: This is our favorite and one of the simplest ways to make eggplant. Cut into rounds and spritz with some olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 425 oven on parchment paper. These cook fast. We like to serve them with crunchy bread and “the green stuff” (which you recall is EVOO, garlic, and herbs).
In pasta dishes: Most of us have had eggplant parmesan in an Italian restaurant which is grilled, or fried eggplant topped with marinara sauce and cheese. You can also slice the eggplant lengthwise and roll a ricotta cheese filling inside, like lasagna. Roasted eggplant is also great tossed with spaghetti, olive oil, garlic and herbs and chopped tomatoes.
Indian curries: We love to make curry with whatever veggies we have on hand with tofu and/or chicken. Eggplant tastes great in these curry dishes too! Just chop it up and stir it in.
Asian dishes: One of our favorite dishes to make and/or order at a Chinese restaurant is eggplant with garlic sauce. The sauce is made of soy and oyster sauce, rice vinegar, a little sugar, combined with minced ginger and garlic, water, and cornstarch for thickening.
And a final favorite is Greek eggplant moussaka! Layers of sliced grilled (some fry) eggplant with ground beef (or lamb) and Bechamel sauce and fresh grated Parmesan and a little cinnamon, nutmeg, herbs, and parsley makes for a delicious dish! Some people also add potatoes to this dish. Lots of options are available!
We encourage you to pick up that purple plant at the grocery store next time you want to be a little adventurous and make one of the above recipes!