Eggplant Spread

Eggplant Spread

This recipe is a delicious new use of one of my other very popular recipes (Eggplant al Pesto). This is served as a spread on your favorite low-carb crackers rather than as a layered vegetable dish or meat-added casserole. 🙂  Prep is only slightly changed.  This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets and  Primal guidelines.  Omit the cheese for Paleo adherence.

I use just a hint of pesto sauce to make the flavors pop in this.  This is one of those dishes that isn’t so pretty.  But face it, Baba Ganoush isn’t a pretty either yet people love it!  DELICIOUS, this one!  It will go fast at parties, so make a double or triple batch for a big crowd.  🙂

NOTE:  If you use a regular skillet to saute your eggplant, you will need this amount of olive oil.   Using a non-stick skillet will allow you to use less oil to cut calories and fat.  Your call. As an alternative, you could lightly grease a baking sheet, bake slices of the eggplant for about 20 minutes at 375º and just before assembling this dish, chop it and add.  The final eggplant spread will taste the same regardless of your prep on the eggplant.

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INGREDIENTS:  

8 oz. eggplant, peeled, chopped into ½” dice

3 T. olive oil  [see notes in red above]

1 T. my pesto sauce (or any commercial plan-suitable pesto sauce)

½ c. low carb spaghetti sauce (or low-carb sauce like Lucini in a jar)

1 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

1/3 c. mozzarella cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:   Preheat oven to 350º.  If baking eggplant, follow the directions in red above, remove from oven and chop.  Spread it out evenly in a pretty oven-proof serving dish. If sauteing eggplant, heat oil in skillet and saute the eggplant, turning often with a spoon, sauteing until it is completely translucent (will be nearly done at this point).  When eggplant is done, place in a pretty oven-proof serving dish.  There’s no need to grease the baking dish as the eggplant will have absorbed most of the olive oil.  Dot the eggplant evenly with the spaghetti sauce.  Then dot evenly with the pesto sauce.  Sprinkle on the Parmesan and finally spread the mozzarella evenly on top.  Pop into a 350º oven for about 10-15 minutes to thoroughly melt the cheese and to allow flavors to blend. Remove and serve on a food warming element or tray with your favorite low-carb crackers.  My favorite Almond Arrowroot Crackers with black pepper are outstanding with this spread.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   I can’t possibly know how much 1 individual will eat of this, so I’ve calculated 1/4 of this recipe is an adult serving and that amount contains (numbers do not include crackers):

214.5 calories

18.5 g  fat

6.3 g  carbs, 2.63 g  fiber, 3.67 g NET CARBS

7.08 g protein

71 mg sodium

141 mg potassium

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