I may be done with the Whole30 and currently filled with delicious pizza, but old habits die hard. I still scan nutrition labels for non-compliant ingredients, am constantly waiting for someone to reprimand me for eating off the plan, and I keep tuna packets in my purse with packets of mustard and a fork for snack.
This may not be a bad thing. I feel pretty great after abstaining from sugar, dairy, wheat, legumes, and alcohol for an entire month. Keeping a clean eating (but not quite as restrictive) regiment will probably do very good things for my over all well being.
Doing the Whole30 gave me the opportunity to replace old staples with new favorites. Like switching from hummus to this baba ganoush. Baba-what? Baba ganoush.
So what the heck is it? Think hummus, but swap out the chickpeas and replace them with roasted eggplant. It’s surprisingly creamy and a perfect for dipping veggies, bread, and crackers. Unless you’re on the Whole30. Then it’s perfect for dipping veggies.
Anything you can use hummus for, you can replace with this baba ganoush. Spread on sandwiches (or collard green wraps), as a creamy sauce for pasta (or zoodles), or as a binder for a veggie burger (with or without beans and grains). Regardless if you’re on the Whole30 or not, baba ganoush is a versatile, affordable spread good on just about everything.
A little toasted sesame oil drives home that rich tahini flavor I love so much. Give this recipe a try and tell me about it in the comments below!
Toasted Sesame Baba Ganoush
- 1 Medium Eggplant
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Tahini
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- Sesame Seeds, for Garnish
Preheat the oven to 400. Halve the eggplant and score it. Place the eggplant halves skin side down on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Roast until the eggplant is tender and starting to caramelize on top. Remove and allow to cool. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant and discard the skin. In a blender or food processor add the eggplant, half of the olive oil, tahini, toasted sesame oil, cumin and salt and pulse until combined. Add more olive oil, if necessary, and continue to pulse until the mixture has reached a desired consistency (I made mine pretty smooth, but a chunkier baba ganoush would also be tasty). Place in a serving dish and top with additional cumin and sesame seeds. Serve with fresh or roasted vegetables, crackers, or pita.
