This healthy roasted eggplant dip is an ideal complement to our Stronger Leaner Faster Lifestyle.  Dips most often are full of empty calories rich in sweet, salty and fatty.  Most of us are familiar with the epic 7 layer dip—beans are great but the sour cream and cheese are the ingredients of concern here.  Or, my personal favourite the spinach dip—reality should be sour cream and mayo dip with an accent of spinach.  So, what I’m saying is, a Dip doesn’t have to be just a treat food.  Dips done right are delicious, filling and multipurpose.  Our following recipe tastes great, nutrient dense, easily portable, and can be served at room temperature.

healthy roasted eggplant dip

Party Food Dip

For those of us that are trying to eat healthy and still enjoy life, parties can be distracting.  It’s often hard to control the environment outside your house.  In addition, you friends and family also may not share the same health goals as you.  The result, party food appetizers are often full of cheese, deep fried and simple carb breads and crackers.  Don’t get me wrong, this food tastes delicious and I too have my treat dishes.  However, during the holiday season, eating food like this on a regular bases will sidetrack your goals. 

This is where my movement to change party food one dish at a time starts.  It begins with you!  If you are entertaining or going to a party, I request that you take and serve a healthy appetizer.  You can add on some crackers as a side or better yet, chewy whole wheat bread.  Chewy baguette style breads are preferred options as they require, well more chewing, and therefore consuming less calories overall.  Your appetizer should have more dip than bread.  That way you get to enjoy the carbs but fill up on the fiber filled dip.

Side Dish

For many of us, side dish is often, potatoes, pasta or grains.  Done right, these are excellent side dish options.  However, most of us simply don’t get enough vegetables in our diet.  Roasted vegetables are a wonderful option, as is this healthy eggplant dip.  At our household, we have it in the fridge regularly; often using it as a side dish or even to top up leftover roasted chicken breast.

Pick the best Eggplant

Eggplant is available year round and at peak during July to October.  The best eggplant is light weight for its size when you pick it up.  The lighter the eggplant the less seeds or smaller the seed size it has; and that’s what you are looking for in a good eggplant.  Also, look for an eggplant that is firm with glossy skin.  I prefer Indian eggplant over other varieties for this recipe.     

Eggplant skin, like all other vegetables, is full of complex antioxidants.  Furthermore, eggplant has wonderful health benefits of vitamins, minerals and fiber.  For this reason, I try to keep some  of the skin in this recipe.  Eggplant skin is often removed before cooking as it can add a slight bitterness to food.  However, using only half of the skin in this recipe does not effect the flavour.  Trust me, I try to push each recipe as much as I can until I see it’s losing deliciousness; then I reel it back in.

Healthy Roasted Eggplant Dip Recipe

Makes – 2-3 cups depending on blending and vegetable size

1 large Eggplant

2 Bell Peppers

1 medium Red Onion

3-4 cloves Garlic diced

1 tsp of herb Thyme (fresh or dry)

1 tsp of herb Rosemary (fresh or dry)

1 tsp of pepper

1 tsp of salt to taste

3-4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 tbsp Tomato Paste

1-2 tbsp sweet, condensed Balsamic Vinegar (optional)

*****

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Get a large mixing bowl. 

Wash and wipe dry the eggplant, and remove only 1/2 of the skin.  Cut into 1 inch cubes. 

Wash and cut the bell peppers and onion also into bite size pieces – 1/2 inch size. 

Add in the chopped garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. 

Drizzle with 2 tbsp only EVOO and toss the mixture until coated. 

Add to a baking sheet. You can also warm up the baking sheet with some EVOO to prevent sticking of food.  Roast for 35-40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.  Don’t overcook, as the vegetables can dry out.  Halfway during the cooking, mix the vegetables around for even browning.    

Remove from oven and cool slightly.

In a food processor, fitted with the blade, add the roasted vegetable mix, tomato paste and left over EVOO.  Mix on low until slightly blended, leaving some texture.  Taste, add additional salt/pepper if needed. 

It’s best to serve this dip warm at room temperature.  Drizzle with a little EVOO and good quality concentrated, sweet, balsamic vinegar. 

Serving suggestions for Party food:

  • Cut serving size of whole wheat, chewy bread or use crackers; top it with warm dip just before serving.
  • Or, Serve dip in a large bowl topped off with extra EVOO and sweet balsamic vinegar.  Add WW bread or crackers on the side.