Arkansas Heart’s on-site garden provides fresh, seasonal produce designed to nourish the heart and bring flavor to the plate. With tomato, eggplant and peppers now in season, it’s the perfect opportunity to highlight how to incorporate fresh produce into your meals. heart-healthy fruit grown right in the Arkansas Heart Garden.
Eggplant Parmesan Casserole
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 tsp olive oil (for brushing/spraying the eggplant to roast)
- 1 cup low-sodium marinara sauce
- 1 oz shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 5 oz grated parmesan cheese
- 5 oz part-skim ricotta cheese (optional but highly recommended for creaminess)
- 7 oz Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Instructions:
- Lightly spray sliced eggplant and roast in a convection oven at 400°F for 15 – 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until the slices are golden and tender.
- Coat a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom.
- Arrange a single layer of roasted eggplant slices to cover the sauce. Spread half of the ricotta evenly over the eggplant.
- Ladle half of the remaining marinara over the ricotta. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan and repeat the layering process again with remaining ingredients.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the cheese.
- Cover and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
Tomato, Pepper & Cucumber Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 bell pepper or 2 small sweet peppers, chopped
- ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- Fresh basil, if available
- Black pepper and a small pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Combine the tomatoes, peppers and onion in a bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.
- Add basil and season lightly and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplants (about 1 ¾ to 2 lbs)
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
- ¼ tsp ground cumin (optional)
- Garnishes: Chopped fresh parsley, a pinch of sumac or smoked paprika, and pomegranate seeds
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve eggplant lengthwise and place cut-side down on a prepared baking sheet.
- Roast eggplant for 30 minutes, or until tender. Transfer eggplant to a bowl with plastic wrap over it and wait 10–15 minutes, then peel.
- Drain eggplant for 5–10 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Roughly chop and blend in food processor. Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cumin. Pulse until the mixture is creamy.
- Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and garnish as desired.
Heart-Healthy Jalapeño Poppers
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 12 jalapeño peppers
- 2 oz shredded extra sharp reduced-fat cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Black pepper to taste
- ¾ cup reduced-fat cream cheese
- ¼ cup finely minced onion
- ? tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Slice jalapeños lengthwise. With a small spoon, scrape out the seeds and ribs from each jalapeño and discard.
- In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, half the cheddar cheese, the onion and the cilantro. Stir to combine. Season the mixture with the salt, black pepper and cumin. Stir to combine.
- With a spoon, fill the peppers with the cream cheese filling. Arrange the peppers on the baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining half of the cheddar cheese. Bake for 8 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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Healthy eating habits don’t have to be hard. Sometimes, it starts with simply incorporating one type of fruit or vegetable into your meals.
Check back soon for more recipes inspired by the produce grown in the Arkansas Heart Garden.