The Turkish Eggplant is indeed such an attention-getting plant. It is a rare heirloom seed originally from Turkey but grown in the warm Pennsylvania soil. Eggplants are a staple of Near, Middle and Far East cuisines. There are many ways to enjoy eggplants: roasted and puréed as in Arabian Baba Ghanoush; grilled on a Persian Kebab; or paired with basil as in both Italy and Thailand.

A very popular Turkish dish is Imam Bayildi, which translates in Turkish to “the Imam fainted.” Why did the Imam (religious leader) faint? Because to braise the eggplant it took so much olive oil, it soaked up all his wife’s dowry. Or maybe he fainted from pleasure of the mingled flavors of braised eggplant, tomato, and garlic of this delightful dish.

For a lighter and healthier eggplant preparation, just peel and slice the eggplant, sprinkle liberally with salt and let sit. Rinse off the salt and pat dry. The salt draws out the moisture. Eggplants belong to the nightshade family, which includes tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. Eggplants are rich in antioxidants and are high in dietary fiber, vitamin B1, potassium, copper, and manganese.

Preparation:
Turkish eggplants are small enough to cut in half and BBQ or grill directly, or use the eggplant as a vessel for your favorite stuffing. The skin should be peeled.  Drizzle with olive oil, grill, add a spritz of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of basil and enjoy.

Storage:
Eggplant is fragile and should be refrigerated, but not in the coldest section. Use within one week.

- Heidi Lewis

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of Brussels sprout leaves, separated
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
2 cups finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions or red onion
3 heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

Lemon Mint Vinaigrette:
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped mint
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

PREPARATION

• Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large sauce pan with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add Brussels sprouts leaves and blanche (boil briefly) for about 30 seconds. Immediately strain and put in ice water to stop cooking.
• Sauté the celery and carrot in the canola oil, preferably in a non-stick pan, for about 1 minute to barely soften. Remove from heat.
• Prepare vinaigrette. Whisk all ingredients together to blend well.
• Toss the celery, carrots, and Brussels sprouts with vinaigrette to coat lightly. Serve on a bed of sliced heirloom tomatoes drizzled with a little of the vinaigrette. Serves 3–4.

Optional addition: Blanche yellow beans (cut into large bite-size pieces) in salted water. Shock in an ice water bath to stop cooking and add to this salad.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound yellow wax beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 carrots, cut into large bite-sized pieces
1 cup Brussels sprouts, base and outside leaves removed, and cut in half
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the vegetables in separate bowls with approximately equal portions of the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place the carrots and Brussels sprouts on a large baking sheet. Roast until browned, about 20 minutes, stirring once during cooking.
• Place the beans on a separate baking sheet, and cook for about 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender and browned.
• Toss together with the chopped thyme in a large serving bowl. Serves 2–4.

Optional Serving Suggestion: Toss roasted vegetables with 4 cups cooked pasta (fusilli or penne) and a little olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups mixed fruit, cut into large bite-sized pieces. If using apples or pears, toss with a bit of lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I prefer Greek style, but you can use regular or fat free)
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 to 1 teaspoon finely chopped lavender (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

• Whisk together and toss with fruit. Serves 4.

Alternate: Top with chopped nuts, coconut, or granola.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth or water)
1 cup barley
1 cup trimmed and chopped yellow Romano beans
1 cup corn, cut from the cob
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

PREPARATION

• Bring broth (or water) to boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup barley. Bring back to a boil then reduce heat to a mild simmer and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes until tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes more.
• Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add Romano beans and simmer for about 3 minutes. They should be just barely tender. Strain and put in ice water to stop cooking process, then drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté onion for about 2 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add yellow beans and corn and sauté for about 4 minutes. Add barley and heat through. Toss with the cherry tomatoes. Serves 4.

Alternate: This is really good as-is, but you can add chopped fresh herbs such as basil, mint, thyme, parsley, or oregano to change it up. Oregano and mint go well with a bit of crumbled feta added. Basil and parsley make it a great side dish for Italian-style chicken or fish. You can also add cilantro and diced avocado for a Mexican flavor.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1  1/2 cups eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
One bunch chard, coarse part of stems removed, leaves well rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped or torn basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound fusilli pasta
1–2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest (optional)

PREPARATION

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté onion for about 2 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add eggplant and sauté until just soft, about 4–5 minutes. Add chard and cook for about 1 minute.
• While veggies are sautéing, cook the fusilli according to package directions. Strain and add into the pan with the vegetables and stir until well mixed. Add a little bit of the pasta water if the mixture is too dry.
• Pour into a serving bowl and toss with the basil and a little olive oil (1–2 teaspoons), and the lemon zest and juice (if using). Toss with parmesan cheese to taste. You can also add cherry tomatoes that have been cut in half.
• This dish can be served warm or at room temperature. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup of cooked barley, made with water
1 cup of diced fruit, anything from the box

Orange mint dressing:
Zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon chopped mint
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

• Mix dressing ingredients together and toss with barley and fruit.

INGREDIENTS

Basil vinaigrette:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup basil, loosely packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Vegetable suggestions:
1 large globe eggplant, cap removed and sliced in half lengthwise
2 zucchini, caps removed and sliced lengthwise, about 1/2-inch thick
8 mushrooms, cut in half
1 red onion, peeled and sliced about 1/2-inch thick

PREPARATION

• Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Brush all vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat a grill pan (or you can grill outside) and grill for about 2 minutes per side. Set aside to cool a bit. Cut into large bite-size pieces.
• Toss grilled veggies with enough vinaigrette to coat the vegetables then save any excess to use on a green garden salad.
• Toss all prepared vegetables with cooked pasta or grains such as farro, barley, or couscous. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cauliflower, base removed and head cut into bite-size florets
1 cup mushrooms, halved
1/2 medium onion (red or white)
1/2 green pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
Olive oil
Salt/pepper
1 pound penne pasta
Parmesan cheese, to taste

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil to lightly coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until browned, about 15 minutes (shake the pan to toss after about 7 minutes). Remove from oven and set aside.
• Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook onions and peppers about 4 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for one more minute.
• Add mushrooms and cook until just browning (don’t stir too often, let them sit to brown properly), about 2 minutes per side.
• While the mushrooms and onions are cooking, cook the penne according to the package directions. Strain penne and toss in the pan with the mushrooms, adding a little pasta water if it seems too dry.
• Pour into serving bowl and toss with the cauliflower and parmesan cheese to taste. Serves 4–6.

Most of us know that cholesterol in our blood can build up in our arteries and that we want to keep levels of “bad” cholesterol, or low-density lipoproteins (LDL), below 100 mg/dl in our bloodstream, and increase our levels of “good” cholesterol, or high-density lipoproteins (HDL) to over 60 mg/dl, according to the Mayo Clinic.  There are drugs, such as statins, that can do this for you, but the best way is through a healthy diet. A study in the July 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association compared a whole foods diet with treatment by statin drugs, and found the whole foods approach to be just as effective.

So, what are these foods that can lower LDL and raise HDL?  Aside from omega-3-rich cold-water fish like salmon, they are all in the plant kingdom. (See The Skinny on Fatty Acids for why omega-3s are good for you.)  Oatmeal, nuts, berries, avocados, beans, and olive oil are some of the important foods to include in a heart-healthy diet.  Their benefits come from soluble fiber, antioxidants, and oleic acid.

Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber actually reduces LDL in the blood as much as 20-30%, and can be found in oatmeal and barley; beans; nuts; peas; flax seeds; fruits, including apples, citrus fruits, bananas and strawberries; vegetables such as broccoli and carrots; and psyllium husk.  The soluble fiber in these foods decreases the absorption of cholesterol by binding to cholesterol-containing bile, which our bodies then excrete rather than reabsorb. Then the body needs to remove additional LDL from the blood to create new bile, which is essential for digestion, thereby reinforcing the LDL-reduction cycle.

Antioxidants: Niacin (Vitamin B3), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Beta-carotene

All potent antioxidants, these nutrients stop LDL cholesterol from causing atherosclerosis, or the build-up of cholesterol in the form of plaque in the arteries. LDL particles appear to be harmless until they are oxidized by free radicals. Antioxidants prevent oxidation. Studies show niacin can decrease cholesterol levels by 10-26% and to decrease heart attack recurrence by 29%.  Niacin can even raise the levels of good HDL in the blood. Great sources of niacin include asparagus and crimini mushrooms, in addition to fish like salmon, halibut and tuna, plus chicken, turkey and venison.  Foods high in vitamin C include papaya (the highest food source), citrus fruits, broccoli, red bell peppers, strawberries, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kiwifruit, among many others. Vitamin E can be had from leafy greens such as Swiss chard, spinach, and kale; almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.  For beta-carotene, turn to orange foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and winter squash, or kale.

Oleic Acid

Oleic acid and other monounsaturated fats also decrease the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and help reduce overall cholesterol levels.  The particularly high levels of oleic acid in extra-virgin olive oil explain why the “Mediterranean diet” protects against heart disease.  Other good sources of monounsaturated fats are avocados, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.  People who replace saturated fats in their diet with monounsaturated fats see a 13% reduction in total cholesterol levels and an 18% reduction of LDL cholesterol. Some olive oil labeling can be misleading, so look for cold-pressed, unfiltered, extra-virgin olive oil. It should look cloudy and be in a dark bottle.

A heart-healthy diet can be delicious as well as good for you. How about a salad with tuna, avocado, red bell pepper, and extra virgin olive oil? There are many foods that can help keep cholesterol in check and benefit the heart, including yummy dark chocolate. The World’s Healthiest Foods is a great resource for summaries of research on cholesterol and recipes of hearty healthy foods. It’s never too late to help lower your risk of heart disease by improving your diet. Your heart—and your family—will thank you.

- Rebecca Taggart