Unfortunately today we do not actually have a full Eat Fit Not Fat post to share, though I do have a recipe that I would highly recommend!

This past weekend Ellie hosted an absolutely lovely baby shower for her wonderful sister. Throughout the planning process we tried a bunch of020714230249 different recipes out, trying to figure out what would be easy to scale up for the 40+ people in attendance, as well as what would still taste good if we did the preparation for it ahead of time. Eventually we came across an absolutely delicious recipe that was very similiar to a standard bruschetta, except subbing the standard veggies for a little bit less traditional options.

The Eggplant Caponata turned out to be a pretty big hit, and after making it twice, I can honestly say it was pretty easy to pull off. Sadly I didn't think to take pretty photos, so you'll have to trust me in that the dish looks pretty to eat too!

Eggplant Caponata 

This recipe was found on vegnews.com, and can be found here

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 large eggplant, peeled and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • One 14-ounce can tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • 8 pieces French bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid. Add 1 more tablespoon of the oil and stir in the eggplant. Cook, stirring occasionally until the eggplant begins to soften. Add the bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables soften, but still hold some shape, about 15 minutes. Stir in the capers, vinegar, sugar, and parsley. Taste to adjust seasoning.
  2. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. If not serving right away, refrigerate, but bring back to room temperature before serving.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush one side of the bread slices with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven, spread the caponata onto the bread slices, and serve at once.

NOTES

I actually served this hot, because after taste testing both to hot and cold versions, Ellie and I preferred it warm. I do recommend baking the bread with some olive oil to give it a nice crisp, but it tastes pretty good without doing that as well.

The original recipe called for capers, but neither Ellie or I like them much, so we skipped them. We also prepped it without the red wine vinegar, and it didn't lose much to the flavor, so if you don't have any don't stress about it.