I don’t have too many baked eggplant recipes. This one turns the baked eggplant into a salad.
It is perfect any time of the year. It has simple flavors that meld together perfectly.
The pepper and eggplant salad is paired with a simple vinaigrette make out of lemon juice and olive oil.
This dressing is a staple in the Mediterranean diet – pure good quality olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
It’s also very healthy for you. Of course the vegetables are healthy, but so is the dressing.
Pure extra virgin olive oil has so many health benefits including protection against heart disease. It contains high levels of antioxidents as well as vitamin E.
You can bake this recipe all year round, but when the weather is warm, you can grill the eggplant and peppers too. I don’t have an exact cooking time, but it will probably be around 15 to 20 minutes on a medium heat grill.
To peel the peppers put them in a paper bag or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 10 minutes. This allows the pepper skin to separate from the flesh while it cools down. When they are cool en ought to handle, simply peel the skin off and discard it.
You can use this recipe for baked eggplant and peppers as a side dish or as an appetizer.
It is both vegetarian and vegan, as well as a gluten free recipe. It’s low carb too, so it’s a great recipe for almost any diet plan.
This recipe is SO healthy I can’t think of a way to make it even healthier – except to eat it more often! It’s full of great nutrition. Don’t be afraid of the olive oil. It’s a very healthy fat.
Baked Eggplant and Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant, small
- 1 green bell pepper, medium size
- 1 red bell pepper, medium
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place both the eggplant and peppers on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for about 30 minutes or until the eggplant is tender and the peppers are charred. (Watch closely as the peppers may be cooked before the eggplant.)
- Remove the skin from the peppers (and from the eggplant if you wish). Cut the eggplant into chunks and cut the peppers into thin slices.
- Combine the lemon juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables and stir. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to meld the flavors.
Nutrition
Tip:
- This recipe looks even prettier if you use a rainbow of peppers. I would use 1/2 of each of a red, yellow, orange, green and even purple pepper. It will look fantastic on the plate.
- You can also add mushrooms to the recipe. Just add them to the pan in the oven a bit later in the baking process, so they bake about 20 minutes. Delicious!
This is a perfect diabetic recipe. Those with diabetes need to look for lower carb options with lots of healthy vegetables and healthy fats like olive oil. This recipe hits the mark on all levels, so if you are looking for diabetes recipes, count this one in.
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