eggplant and beans

So as life evolves, so must our diets, if we want to survive the changes that is. It all started with a Dr Oz diet shunning dairy and simple carbs and sugar so Ani could try to lose a few of those extra pounds that bothered her self-image, but which were not excessively padding her nice curves according to bob. Heavy veggie emphasis was the new direction. But then after decades of trying to eat "right" and exercise regularly, bob takes the new cardiac calcium score scan test (not covered by insurance)  to see whether the cholesterol lowering meds had actually stalled out the genetic cardiovascular disease that took out his dad at 67 (his then current age) and his dad's dad at 73---the old "family history" trigger for extra care in that department. And scored in the middle of the 75th to 90th percentile bracket for his American male age group, yikes! Bring on the stress test to see where the excessive plaque is deposited in the heart arteries, since the calcium is only a marker for it and the test only reveals the total, not the distribution, which is the key feature for constricted arteries and subsequent traumatic events.

So veggies with beans are a great way of avoiding animal cholesterol yet getting the necessary proteins. bob grabbed the eggplants hoping to do something and ani came through with the imaginative preparation, the beans relieving us of the cultural need for some animal protein on the plate. How we will deal with our annual Roman summer and the tempting pasta, pizza and risotto all around us will be quite a challenge. Let's take this slowly.

bob was thinking of some simple parmigiana approach without the parmigiano solution for these two eggplants, a little tomato sauce, something along those lines. But ani decided to do this sauté, and bob injected the bean twist, and with a little patience, out came the finished dish, which turned out to be really tasty. bob ate like three helpings, and decided the recipe better be recorded for posterity. Repetition requires memory. It's pretty simple, which is typical of the Italian cuisine that biases our food choices.

ingredients

2-3 T olive oil
2 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed
1 onion, chopped
16 oz red cannellini beans (subsitutable by your favorite bean of the moment)
16 oz crushed tomatoes
1 T tomato paste
1/4 t red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 T chopped fresh parsley

instructions

  1. Prep the eggplants (peel them and chop roughly into small cubes) and onion (peel and chop roughly). Open the can of beans. Chop the fresh parsley.
  2. Saute the eggplants until browned and softened (about 10 minutes?), then add in the onion and soften until translucent.
  3. Add the crushed tomatoes with the tomato paste and spices, minus the parsley.
  4. When nicely cooked, remove from the heat and scatter the parsley over top and serve.

notes

  1.  Dr Oz 21 day weight loss diet. It also worked on bob, trying to coordinate with ani
  2. Dr Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease (The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure): [booksite, Amazon]. Basically become a vegan without nuts, olive oil or avocados! dr bob, who introduced the whole avocado to the daily Sark salad, going avocado cold turkey?  How is this going to work?
  3. Illustrations available.
eggplantbeans.htm: 12-may-2019 [what, ME cook? © 1984 dr bob enterprises]