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March 2008 Healthy Living Recipes

Chef Deb and John the Nutritionist

Deb Howard: This month I offer you one of my favorite ways to enjoy eggplant—with lots of cumin and cilantro. Cook up this stew, add some basmati rice, raita (an Indian yogurt condiment), and a salad, and you’ve got a great meal to enjoy with family and friends.

Eggplant Stew

Serves four.

2 medium peeled eggplants, large diced
1 onion, diced
2 potatoes, diced
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 tomato, medium diced
1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
½ teaspoon paprika

Ghee or coconut oil
1 teaspoon salt
Cilantro to garnish

First, cut eggplant into desired size. Toss with salt and allow to sit for a half hour. Then rinse and pat the eggplant dry. In a large sauce pot or sauté pan, heat ghee or oil and toss in spices. Stir and allow to heat for 1 minute; add onions, and stir and sauté until onions begin to sweat. Add eggplant and potatoes (make sure the potatoes are cut smaller than the eggplant). Add ½ cup water and sauté until potatoes begin to soften—then add cauliflower. When the potatoes are soft, add diced tomato and coconut milk. If you would like a wetter consistency, just add more water, stock, or coconut milk. Simmer for 20 minutes, until veggies are soft. Add salt and adjust other seasonings if needed. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy over rice or with nan (Indian bread).

Read John Bagnulo’s commentary: Why Eggplant’s Purple Color Is Good for You.

Eggplant skin is the most antioxidant-rich part of the vegetable, so be sure to include it whenever possible. It serves as a good source of anthocyannins, which are high in antioxidants and also give fruits and vegetables (including eggplant, blueberries, and blackberries) a dark blue to purple color.

Read John Bagnulo’s commentary: Superstar Turmeric.

Turmeric is a superstar spice. This pungent powerhouse helps reduce inflammation by shutting down the specific type of cyclooxygenase (an enzyme) activity that promotes inflammation while allowing other forms of the enzyme to continue producing anti-inflammatory eicosanoids. Unlike aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, turmeric is selective in shutting down only the pro-inflammatory forms of the enzyme. I recommend turmeric for men to help prevent prostate cancer, for women to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, and for everyone to help bring existing inflammation under control. Try to use as much turmeric as you can without overwhelming the recipe or your taste buds.

Cucumber Mint Raita

Serves four.

1 cup plain yogurt
½ cucumber, peeled and de-seeded, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon roasted cumin seeds
Pinch black pepper

If you are using a very wet yogurt, you may want to drain it first, using cheesecloth, to remove some of the moisture. Then combine all ingredients and serve garnished with fresh mint leaves.

Find out more about Deb Howard and John Bagnulo—and their upcoming programs at Kripalu. Both Deb and John also teach in Kripalu’s health immersion programs.

Find more delicious and nutritious recipes in Kripalu Recipes.