Food Thursday 05.10.12

Hungry?  I always am.  If TDT195 is unfamiliar territory for you, then let me school ya some.  Thursdays are the day when we discuss food.  Recipes, products, restaurant strategies, you name it.  In fact, please do name it!  Is there a question you have that I might be able to answer or perhaps a favorite recipe you would like me to lighten up?  Bring it!  I'd be happy to recreate some of your favorites to meet our objective... eating our way thin.  My philosophy: If you want to lose weight and be healthy, make the majority of your own meals at home. 


Last weekend I had wanted to do something vegetarian for Sunday dinner.  I had gotten an eggplant and and knew the direction in which I wanted to head.  Something "tomatoey" and comforting.  I hearkened back to a recipe I used a while back, but could not find it anywhere.  Time to become an Iron Chef and draw on my taste memory.  Battle Eggplant!  This is what I came up with and frankly, I loved it.  My eggplant stew could be served as a main course, served over brown rice or whole grain pasta, like rigatoni, used as a side dish with any protein or you could even cook it down more, into a thick spread for whole grain crackers or pita chips. (see Food Thursday 05.03.12)

Eggplant Tomato Stew
4 entree servings 
Ingredients
1 large eggplant (3 cups)
2 cups sliced mushrooms such as crimini (baby bellas)
1 cup sweet onion, diced 1/4"
1 cup red bell pepper, diced 1/4"
1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar (balsamic will sub just fine)
3 cups diced tomato (In the summer use fresh and local, but canned does just fine.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp fresh thyme (1 tsp if dried)
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
1/4 cup basil, cut into 1/8" strips
2 cups cooked brown rice (optional)


Method

• Peel the eggplant and cut into 3/4" thick planks
• Salt liberally and place on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes turning over once.
• After 20 minutes you should see the eggplant "sweating".  Wipe off salt with a paper towel and pat the eggplant dry.
• Dice the eggplant into 3/4" cubes.
• In a nonstick skillet coated with olive oil spray or PAM, over high heat, brown the eggplant on all sides.  I use two pans or you can do it in batches.  Set aside.
• Repeat this process with the mushrooms and set aside with your eggplant.
• Carefully wipe out your pan if the EVOO spray has burned and reapply cooking spray.  Turn heat to medium and add onions, peppers, red pepper flakes and cumin.  Cook until the onions are translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant.
• Add white wine and reduce until the liquid has evaporated
• Add vinegar and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
• Reduce heat to low and add back the eggplant and mushrooms, plus the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme and chickpeas.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add basil and adjust seasoning to taste and serve over 1/2 cup of brown rice for an entree or as a tasty side dish.

Nutritional info with rice
276 calories (167 as a side dish, w/o rice)
2g fat, 0g sat. fat
56g carbs
10g fiber
9g protein

700 mg sodium


What I ate today and how I exercised:
Breakfast ~ Kashi 7 Grain Nuggets w/strawberry, banana, pecans and unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Lunch ~ Organic smoked turkey and ham on a whole grain wrap w/chipotle lime vinaigrette, onion, avocado and mixed greens
Dinner ~ TBD...dining out tonight
Exercise ~ 20 minutes of walking