Baked Eggplant with Tomato Chutney

(recipe from Eat Up Slim Down 2010, Prevention Magazine)

1 medium eggplant
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided (I used coconut oil)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup pine nuts (I used walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray.  Cut the eggplant into 1/2" slices and brush with 1 tsp. of the oil.  Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper; lay the slices in the baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the eggplant is tender.

Heat the remaining oil in a nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, stirring, until softened.  Add the vinegar and basil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the pine nuts.  Spoon over the eggplant and bake for 10 minutes.

Spiced Peach Chutney

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 medium ripe peaches
1 cup seedless grapes (both green and red work just fine) (I halved the grapes.)
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp. brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Peel and pit the peaches; cut and dice them.  Mix with grapes, honey, and mustard; set aside.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine oil, onions, raisins, mustard seed, and allspice.  Cook until the onion is golden and the raisins have plumped, perhaps 5-10 minutes, stirring often.  Spoon the hot mixture into the fruit mixture and fold together to blend.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  This is not a preserve - it will keep in the icebox for a few days only. 

(Yummy!  I kept it cold and spooned it over a bed of mixed greens for a simple salad.)

Steamed Cod with Coconut Chutney

(recipe clipped from a newspaper, not sure which one)

6 garlic cloves, peeled
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 small fresh chilies, stemmed and seeded or 1 tsp. red chili flakes or to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup shredded dried coconut
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. oil
salt
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. cod fillet

Prepare a steamer with at least 2 inches of water.

Put the garlic, ginger and chilies in a food processor and grind to a paste.  Add the cilantro, mint and coconut.  Press Pulse a few times until mixture is chopped but not pureed.  Stir in the lime juice, oil and salt.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Season fish with salt; put it on a plate or in a shallow bowl on steamer rack.  Top with herb paste.  Cover and steam until fish is done, about 15 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife meets little or no resistance.  Serve at once.

(A nice take on cod preparation.  The chutney seems weird and unnecessary, but really adds a unique flavor.  The steaming keeps the fish nice and moist.)