Diabetic Dish of the Week - Roasted Eggplant Rolls

This week's Diabetic Dish of the Week is - Roasted Eggplant Rolls. The perfect Appetizer, it's only 77 calories and 12 carbs per serving (2 rolls with 2 tablespoons pasta sauce) Along with 2 Egg Plants you'll need Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Green Onion, Dried Tomatoes, Spinach Leaves, Herbs, and Pasta Sauce. The recipe is from one of my favorite sites, the Diabetes Self Management website. At the Diabetes site you'll find a huge selection of Diabetic Friendly Recipes, Diabetes Management Tips, Diabetes News, and much more so check it out today! Enjoy and Make 2019 a Healthy One!  https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/

Roasted Eggplant Rolls
These eggplant rolls are pretty on a serving platter, full of herbs to make it the perfect Italian dish, and pair excellently with warmed pasta sauce.


Ingredients
2 medium eggplants (3/4 pound each)

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 tablespoons (2 oz) fat-free cream cheese
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1 green onion, minced
4 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), rinsed, drained and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
16 fresh stemmed spinach leaves
1 cup meatless pasta sauce

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray 2 nonstick baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Trim ends from eggplants. Cut eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Discard outside slices that are mostly skin (You will have about 16 slices total). Arrange slices in single layer on prepared baking sheets.

2. Combine lemon juice and olive oil in small bowl; brush lightly over both sides of eggplant slices. Bake 22 to 24 minutes or until slightly golden brown, turning once. Transfer eggplant slices to plate; cool.

3. Meanwhile, stir together cream cheese, sour cream, green onion, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and pepper in small bowl until blended.

4. Spread about 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture evenly over each eggplant slice. Arrange spinach leaf on top, leaving 1/2-inch border. Roll up, beginning at small end. Lay rolls, seam side down, on serving platter. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve with warmed pasta sauce.

Yield: 8 servings (16 rolls).

Serving size: 2 rolls with 2 tablespoons pasta sauce.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Calories: 77 calories, Carbohydrates: 12 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 213 mg, Fiber: 1 g

https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/snacks-appetizers/roasted-eggplant-rolls/

Healthy Grilled Eggplant Recipes

From the EatingWell website and Magazine its Healthy Grilled Eggplant Recipes. Delicious and Healthy Grilled Eggplant Recipes like; Grilled Vegetable Burritos, Grilled Vegetable Platter, and Grilled Eggplant Panini. Find these recipes and more at the EatingWell website. So Enjoy and Eat Healthy in 2018!   http://www.eatingwell.com/

Healthy Grilled Eggplant Recipes

Find healthy, delicious grilled eggplant recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.


Grilled Vegetable Burritos
Whole-grain tortillas are filled with grilled vegetables, quickly returned to the grill and then served with a fresh cilantro pesto...........


Grilled Vegetable Platter
This veggie platter is a perfect side dish for any gathering. Vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, Japanese eggplant and fennel are marinated and then grilled to perfection......


Grilled Eggplant Panini
Grilled eggplant is one of life's simpler pleasures: creamy and rich. Look for medium-size, purple eggplants with firm skins and no mushy spots. This end-of-summer treat will be even tastier if you can find the vegetables at a local farmstand—or in your own backyard!........



* Click the link below to get all the Healthy Grilled Eggplant Recipes
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/20792/cooking-methods-styles/bbq-grilling/vegetables/eggplant/

"Meatless Monday" Recipe of the Week - Eggplant Rollatini

This week's "Meatless Monday" Recipe of the Week is Eggplant Rollatini. Eggplant rolls stuffed with cheese and baked in marinara sauce. It's from the CooksRecipes website. The Cooks site has recipes that will please all tastes and cuisines. So Enjoy and Eat Healthy!   http://www.cooksrecipes.com/index.html

Eggplant Rollatini

Eggplant rolls, filled with a savory mixture of three Italian cheeses and capers, and baked in marinara sauce.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
About 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) container ricotta cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
1 tablespoon capers
1 (16-ounce) jar marinara sauce

Cooking Directions:

1 - Cut eggplant lengthwise in slices. Salt lightly and allow to sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse slices and pat dry with paper towel.
2 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
3 - Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Season eggplant and dip in flour. Sauté till golden brown and drain on paper towels.
4 - In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, basil and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Place several tablespoons of filling on one end of the eggplant slices then roll up and secure with wooden picks.
5 - In a lightly greased casserole dish, spread about 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce. Place rollatini in dish and cover with remaining sauce. Bake for about 40 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
http://www.cooksrecipes.com/mless/eggplant-rollatini-recipe.html

"Meatless Monday" Recipe of the Week - Pickled Eggplant in Olive Oil

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe of the Week is Pickled Eggplant in Olive Oil. It's from the PBS/Recipe website, which has a fantastic selection of all recipes and cuisines.  http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/


Pickled Eggplant in Olive Oil

This traditional Italian recipe features hot red pepper, garlic, and olive oil.

Ingredients
4 to 5 medium-small eggplants (about 2 pounds in total)
2 Tbsp salt
3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley (you can use 1 Tbsp dry if you don’t have fresh)
2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil (you can use 1 Tbsp dry if you don’t have fresh)
1/4 cup chopped sweet or hot red pepper (or 1 tsp hot pepper flakes)
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup apple cider vinegar (white vinegar is fine)
2 cups water
1 to 2 cups of extra-virgin olive oil


Directions
1 - Peel the eggplants, cut off the ends, and slice lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Cut these slices across, lengthwise again, to obtain long strips the size of skinny fries. Cut them in half if they’re too long.
2 - Place the slices in a colander with a bowl underneath the catch the liquid. Sprinkle with the salt and mix with your hands, giving your eggplant slices a little massage so they are evenly covered in salt. Allow them to sit for 3 to 4 hours, mixing and squeezing the liquid out with your hands every hour or so. You can also place a weight on top to help get the liquid out (a plate topped with a big bag of flour works well).
3 - After 3 to 4 hours, rinse the slices well with tap water and drain. Squeeze as much liquid out of the eggplant slices as you can, using your hands. Place the squeezed eggplant aside.
4 - Bring the vinegar and water to a boil. Place the eggplant slices in the boiling mixture and boil for about 2 1/2 minutes. Do not leave in the boiling water longer than 3 minutes or the eggplant will be mushy. It should still have some bite to it. After about 2 1/2 minutes, remove the eggplant from the liquid and drain. Once they are cool enough to handle, squeeze out any excess liquid with your hands again (you can also leave the slices to dry for a few minutes on a clean towel, wrapping them in the towel to press some of the liquid out). They don’t have to be fully dry but they shouldn’t be dripping wet.
5 - Stuff the eggplant into clean jars, alternating in layers with the chopped parsley and basil, chopped red pepper, and minced garlic. Press down so that everything is well packed. Pour olive oil into the jar until all the ingredients are covered. Press down with a spoon to remove any air bubbles in the jar. Add extra olive if needed, leaving about 3/4 inch of space at the top. Wipe the rims and close the jars. Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze.
6 - Serve on fresh toasted bread or add to any sandwiches. Pickled eggplant is great in pasta salads.


Tips/Techniques
Note: Pickled eggplant in oil should not be stored at room temperature due to the risk of botulism when garlic and vegetables are added to oil. Storing in the fridge for up to one week or freezing is recommended.

http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/pickled-eggplant/

"Meatless Monday" Recipe of the Week - Classic Ratatouille

It's a Classic Ratatouille for this week's "Meatless Monday" Recipe of the Week. It's from the PBS website.   http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/


Classic Ratatouille

Ingredients
About ½ cup olive oil
1 eggplant (1¼ pounds); ends cut off, washed and cut, with skin on, into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
3 medium zucchini (about 1 ¼ pounds, washed, ends removed, cut in 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
12 ounces onions (2-3 depending on size), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound green bell peppers (2–3,) washed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch squares (about 3 cups)
4–5 well-ripened tomatoes; peeled, halved, seeded and coarsely cubed (about 4 cups)
5–6 cloves garlic; peeled, crushed, and very finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
½ cup water
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Directions
1 - Heat ¼ cup of the oil in one or, better, two large skillets.
2 - First sauté the eggplant cubes, about 8 minutes; remove with slotted spoon and transfer to a large, heavy flameproof casserole. (The eggplant will absorb more oil while cooking than the other vegetables.)
3 - Then sauté the zucchini cubes until browned, about 8 minutes. Then transfer to the casserole.
4 - Add about ¼ cup more oil to the pan and sauté the onions and peppers together for about 6 minutes. Add them to the casserole.
5 - Add the tomatoes, garlic, water, salt, and pepper to the casserole and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover, and cook over low heat for 1 hour.
6 - Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium, and cook another 20 minutes, uncovered, to reduce some of the liquid; stir once in a while to prevent scorching.
7 - Let the ratatouille rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.


http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/classic-ratatouille/