Babaganush (Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant Dip) Keto Friendly

Babaganush (Roasted Eggplant Dip) — Babaganush
(Roasted Eggplant Dip)

The garden is in full swing and everyday I am harvesting crisp green cucumbers, shiny purple eggplants, juicy red tomatoes, green beans, okra and peppers. I have had to become innovative on how to incorporate all these healthy veggies into our normal meal plans. I scoured the internet and came to see that a Mediterranean diet was the solution.

Items like Tziziki, humus, falafels and babaganush will help me make a dent in my produce pile. If you have never heard of Babaganush, it is a Middle Eastern dip made from roasted eggplants and tahini. Tahini is ground up sesame seeds and comes in a jar similar to peanut butter. I bought mine at one of our many Middle Eastern markets here in the Central Valley of California. I picked up some Dolma (stuffed grape leaves) and Pita bread while I was there to complete my dinner. It gave me the chance to showcase all of those beautiful cucumbers, tomatoes and eggplants. We stuffed them into a pita and drenched them in Tziziki and Babaganush! DE-liscious!

Babaganush

1 large eggplant or 4 Japanese eggplants (smaller and skinnier variety, it is what I grew this year in the garden)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup Tahini (sesame seed paste)
Squeeze of lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove crushed
1 teaspoon cumin
Pine nuts (optional)

Peal and slice eggplant (I sliced my eggplant lengthway), sprinkle with salt and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

This will draw the water out and prevent it from being bitter. Blot the beaded up water off the sliced eggplant and brush with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and under broiler until lightly browned. Turn each slice over and brush again with olive oil and broil the other side. Allow to cool.

Blend the roasted eggplant, tahini, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, lemon and garlic in a blender.

Babaganush drizzled with olive oil and pine nuts

Scoop into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and pine nuts. Serve with pita chips or veggies.

Homemade pita chips: slice a pita into 8 triangular pie-like slices. Pull pita slices apart, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, bake in oven at 350 until crisp, about 10 minutes.