Tag Archives: eggplant

Beef, Main Dish, Recipes

Marvelous Moussaka

Photo - MoussakaFinishing off my Greek festival cooking, I made moussaka, a delicious eggplant, meat, tomato, and cream dish which is like a Greek version of lasagna. Traditionally made with ground lamb, you can also make it with beef or a combination. I used beef in mine. The casserole is topped with a creamy white sauce, a béchamel, and is baked with feta cheese.

I adapted the recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook to be a half-sized and lower carb’d casserole. Serve it with a low carb bread or low carb flatbread, like this one.

Here’s a couple of substitutions. If you don’t like feta cheese, use Parmesan or Romano. Not crazy about eggplant? User several large zucchini instead.

This photo shows the layers a little better. This is when it’s cold, but once it is heated, it tends to run together more.

Moussaka

1 large eggplant, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
salt
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 tablespoon Butter
1 pound lean Ground Beef or Ground Lamb
Salt to taste
ground Black Pepper to taste
1 onions, chopped
1/2 clove Garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground Nutmeg
½ teaspoon Italian Herbs
2 tablespoons dried Parsley
1 (8 ounce) can Tomato sauce
½ cup Red Wine
1 Egg, beaten
1-1/2 cups Cream & 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose low carb flour
salt to taste
ground White Pepper, to taste
1 cups freshly crumbled Feta Cheese
¼ teaspoon ground Nutmeg

Preheat over to 350 degrees (F.)

Place the slices of eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle each lightly with salt. Let them rest 30 minutes to draw out moisture. Wipe each slice off with a paper towel.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high head. Fry the eggplant until lightly browned. Remove a paper-toweled covered plate to drain.

Using the same skillet, clean it of any remaining oil with a paper towel, then set it to medium high, melt the butter and add the ground beef or lamb, onions, and garlic. Add salt and pepper to your taste preference. When the meat is browned, sprinkle in cinnamon, nutmeg, Italian herbs, and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes.  Let cool for about 20 minutes then stir in beaten egg.

In an 8×8-inch baking dish, arrange a layer of eggplant, using half of the eggplant. Cover the eggplant with all of the meat mixture, spreading it evenly, then crumble 1/3 cup of Feta cheese over the meat. Place the remaining eggplant slices over the top, and crumble another 1/3 cup of cheese on top. Let sit while you prepare the béchamel sauce.

Scald the cream and water in a saucepan and remove before it boils. Clean out the meat skillet and melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in low carb flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, stirring constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.

Pour the béchamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with nutmeg. Crumble the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Makes 4 to 6 servings

nutrition information

Italian Inspired Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Meatless Pizza Monday

Photo: Zucchini, Eggplant, & Beets Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? And what do we miss when trying to stay low carb? You betcha! Good news. We have pizza crust alternatives that work very well for making pizza. If you haven’t tried any of these, give them a shot. First, there’s the cauliflower crust, which you can make yourself or now buy at places like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. For that matter, you can order them online from Amazon. However, check the carbs on these as some of them are higher than making them yourself.

You can also make a pizza crust using low carb flour. I use LC Foods Pizza and Calzone mix to make this delicious crust, but I have also used DCC All Purpose Flour to produce an equally good, but slightly sweeter crust. You can also use a large portobello mushroom as a pizza base. While white meat chicken makes a great pizza base, that doesn’t work so well on Meatless Monday. You can also use a low-carb tortilla to make a fairly crispy crust, but be careful not to overcook it.

For this recipe, I’ve provided the toppings only and the carb count is just for them, so add in the count for the pizza base. My pizza recipe makes two personal-size pizzas, but you can make a larger eight-inch pizza and cut it in half. I like to cook my pizza on a rack since that allows the underside to brown evenly as well as the top. I really like this combination of vegetables and seasoning, but you can adapt it to others if you like. When buying pasta sauce, check the carb count. I used one that comes in at 3.5 net carbs for 1/4 cup.

Zucchini, Eggplant, and Beets Pizza Toppings

2 small Pizza Crusts
1/2 cup Zucchini, 1/4″ slices
1/4 cup Golden Beets, diced
1/4 cup Japanese Eggplant, thinly sliced
1/4 cup Spinach, fresh
1/4 cup Pasta Sauce
1/3 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.)

Cook pizza crusts for 5 to 10 minutes if it isn’t already partially cooked.

Cook diced beets in a microwave for one minute. You can use the zucchini and eggplant raw or sauté them in a pan with a splash of Olive Oil for a couple of minutes to soften.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the Pizza Sauce on each pizza crust. Arrange the zucchini and eggplant slices on top of the sauce, then distribute the beets on top of them. Arrange enough spinach leaves over the tops to cover them. Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is browned.

Serves two.

Photo: Nutrition Count for Pizza Toppings

Links to recipes for Low-Carb Flour Pizza Crust and Cauliflower Pizza Crust.

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes, Soups and Stews, Vegetarian

Delicious Turkey Ragout feeds the soul

Photo: Turkey & Vegetables Ragout

A rainy night or two ago, I pulled a package of frozen turkey from the freezer and pondered what I could throw together with it that suited this chilly night. I had canned tomatoes, an eggplant that needed to be used, and some of the mini-peppers in my fridge. So I threw this saucy dish together. It’s not quite a ragu nor is it a ragout exactly, but it’s closer to the latter, so that’s what I decided to call it. It’s a lovely combination of meat, vegetables, and sauce with Italian seasonings.

For my seasoning salt, I used Emeril’s Essence, but any seasoning salt will work. I also used red onion, which brings a bit more sweetness than a white or yellow onion, but any of them will work. In fact, this is a versatile recipe, so if you don’t care for eggplant, substitute in another vegetable, such as summer squash or mushrooms. Of course, you can also use ground beef in place of the turkey. For a vegetarian option, omit the meat and add in more vegetables, like the aforementioned mushrooms or chopped kohlrabi. Be aware that replacing the turkey with additional vegetables will increase the carb count a little.

Turkey and Vegetable Ragout

1 lb. Ground Turkey
1 15-oz. can Diced Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1 cup Eggplant, cubed
3 Mini-Peppers, sliced
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 cup Water or White Wine
1 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground Pepper

In a large saucepan, brown the ground turkey, chopping into small pieces as it cooks. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent.

Add the eggplant and peppers and continue to cook another few minutes, stirring a few times, then add the canned tomatoes and 1/4 cup of water (or white wine). Add all the seasonings and stir the whole pan together.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about 20 to 30 minutes until the liquid is reduced to a delicious sauce and the vegetables are tender. Taste the sauce and adjust any seasonings.

Serve with cooked zucchini noodles. You can either buy these in the frozen food section or make your own with a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler. Or you can do a wide shred with a food grater.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Info for Turkey Vegetable Ragout