Eggplant Casserole Recipe - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook eggplant without losing nutrients? ›

It doesn't involve frying, you just need to oven-bake your eggplants. :) The best ways to cook in general to retain nutrients are : Boiling, Steaming, Broiling, Grilling, Sautéing.

From baba ganoush to layered bakes, dumplings, foccacia, curries, dips, slow roasts and salads, these diverse recipes prove there's no shortage of ways to use up your favourite nightshade at lunch, dinner or snack time.

While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, "Do you peel eggplant before cooking?" is yes, peel it. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin.

Yet, zucchini is a bit healthier than the eggplant. By consuming 100 grams of zucchini you'll' receive 16kcal, while when you eat eggplant in the same amount, you will get 24 kcal. However, vitamin C is on the side of zucchini.

Many recipes call for salting and rinsing eggplant before cooking it to draw out its bitterness. Brining can be used instead and has the added advantage of helping the eggplant keep its shape when it's cooked, whether your recipe calls for baking, frying, or grilling.

Fiber in eggplant and other plants can help people control weight, prevent overweight and obesity. A person following a high-fiber diet will eat less of other foods because fiber makes people feel fuller for longer. Eggplants are high in fiber and low in calories - they can contribute to a healthy, low-calorie diet.

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

When looking at the exterior of the eggplant, check the stem and cap. Both should be green and fresh-looking. If they are starting to fade in color, that's an indicator that the vegetable may be spoiling. You'll also want to toss the eggplant if there is any mold on the stem or cap.

An eggplant with brown spots is not safe to eat if it contains bugs or mold or exhibits other signs of spoilage. It should be thrown out.

Other nightshades like tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and peppers contain alkaloids, or a form of carbohydrate-binding proteins called lectins that can cause inflammation and digestive issues in some people.

What does soaking eggplant in milk do? ›

Milk is said to help draw out the bitterness in eggplant. Our recipe doesn't call for milk, but if you're worried that your eggplant will taste bitter, you can soak the slices in milk for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and pat them dry before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

Most people prefer to rinse their eggplant after salting it, but you'll be fine without this extra step. Instead, you can simply blot excess salt with a paper towel or bypass this step entirely for a super well-seasoned eggplant.

Why do you soak eggplant in water and vinegar? Soaking eggplant in water and vinegar helps remove some of the vegetable's natural bitterness. This step also helps preserve some of the skin's color so it stays a vibrant purple even after cooking.

Cooking brinjal by grilling, roasting, sautéing, or frying can help to reduce the solanine levels and make it easier to digest. Cooked brinjal can also be a healthy and nutritious addition to a balanced diet. It is low in calories and high in fiber, potassium, and vitamins C and K.

If you love avocado oil's high smoke point, but not the flavor, safflower oil is for you. Safflower has a neutral flavor, which makes it perfect for frying anything from Southern fried chicken strips to delicate eggplant fries. It also happens to be one of the healthiest oils for frying food.