My Mom's Baba Ganoush
This recipe contains affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase a product through a link, I will receive a small commission - but this in no way impacts the amount you pay. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk (*).
I had the best time recently, chatting with Dr. Caudle and Dr. Ordon on CBS’s, “The Doctors,” about this brain-boosting lunch option that travels well in a lunchbox and offers a way to make vegetables more palatable and interesting for kids.
Dips give kids a sense of ownership and control over each bite of food, increasing the likelihood that they’ll try something new, like a veggie. I often send this dip in packed lunches along with whole grain pita chips and any raw veggies I happen to have in the fridge. It’s made with eggplant and tahini, which is a sesame seed paste. Sesame seeds are a great source of:
Brain-building healthy fats
Protein
B vitamins
Minerals
Fiber
Antioxidants
It’s important to note that they are also now recognized as one of the top 9 most allergenic foods here in the U.S. If your child goes to a school that doesn’t allow sesame, try making this recipe with pumpkin seed butter instead. For further allergen swaps, check out this recent blog on the best allergen substitutes for your little ones!
Dips encourage kids to try unfamiliar flavors and incorporate more veggies into their diet. I love these whimsical Dabbledo food picks* that make the process of exploring new foods fun and engaging.
If you enjoy this recipe, I would be so grateful if you would rate it and leave a comment! The star ratings help my recipes reach more people. Thank you.
______
My Mom’s Baba Ganoush Recipe
My Mom's Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants (or about 6 cups sliced eggplant pieces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
- 1/4 of a medium onion (roughly chopped)
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed, or the juice of 1-2 lemons depending on size)
- 5 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped (optional; garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Poke holes in the skins of both eggplants in 2-3 places with a fork or knife. Place them in a baking pan and roast for 40-45 minutes or until inside is tender and the skin has loosened.
- While eggplants bake, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Gently sauté onion and garlic just until fragrant and tender (do not brown).
- Remove from heat and cool until eggplants can be handled. Remove top knob and discard, placing the eggplant flesh and skin into the pitcher of a high powered blender.
- Add all remaining ingredients except parsley into the blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust ingredients as needed (eggplants can vary quite a bit in size - you may want to adjust the amounts of all the other ingredients, depending on the yield of your eggplants).
- Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve warm or cold with cut raw veggies or whole grain pita chips for dipping.
- Keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge.
Notes
Substitute pumpkin seed butter for sesame if allergies to sesame are present!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
96Fat
7Sat. Fat
1Carbs
8Fiber
3Net carbs
5Sugar
4Protein
2Sodium
238Cholesterol
0
