Mediterranean Eggplant

I've been having an obsession with eggplant recently. It is so good and you can make it many different ways! I never knew the nutritional benefits of eggplant, so I looked it up on Livestrong.com. It's a vegetable so it obviously has plenty of good nutritional benefits for you. Here are some of them...

Some Nutritional Benefits of Eggplant:

• Chlorogenic Acid
• Antioxidant that can fight free radicals 
• Lowers LDL cholesterol- bad cholesterol
• Antimutagenic- Can protect cells from becoming cancer cells
• Antiviral
• Nasunin
• Antioxidant in the peel of the eggplant
• Antiangiogenic- prevents cancer cells from growing as quickly by preventing the increase of blood supply to the cells
• Good Source of Fiber
• Helps digestive system stay regular
• Helps prevent type 2 diabetes
• Lots of vitamin A, B, C, and Folate
• Rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous

I decided to try a recipe of Mediterranean Eggplant to incorporate eggplant into my diet. I liked the recipe overall but would have cooked it a littttleeee differently. The recipe says to sauté the eggplant and I found that it will overcook the eggplant on the outside and undercook the eggplant in the middle. So next time I may bake it a little bit first and then sauté it or maybe try sautéing it on a lower heat. Here's the recipe:

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh or dried parsley, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients except for the eggplant in a tupperware contained and mix well
• Slice eggplant in 1/2 in. thick pieces and submerge in marinade in tupperware
• Put lid on tupperware and shake to ensure eggplant is fully covered in marinade
• Wait 30 minutes for marinade to absorb
• Heat up large skillet on medium heat on the stove and place eggplant on skillet when it is hot (no need for additional oil)
• Cook until brown on each side (3-5 minutes per side)
• Serve with extra marinade or just by itself

Enjoy this extremely healthy, mediterranean inspired eggplant dish :)