Have you ever eaten eggplant? Many years ago, I had eggplant at a restaurant and it was not good, so I thought I must not like it. Fast forward to a few years ago, when a student in our office told me I had to try this eggplant recipe – Baba Ganoush. I knew I did not like eggplant, but she ensured me I would like this recipe. So, my children and I went to the farmers market that weekend and bought a beautiful purple and white eggplant and I made Baba Ganoush for the first time. It turns out that, although that restaurant meal was not great, I actually really like eggplant.

Our September recipe of the month is Baba Ganoush thanks to a student who pushed me outside of my comfort zone. If eggplant is also outside of your comfort zone, this recipe is a great way to try it out. You can use Baba Ganoush in the same way you would use hummus – as a dip or a spread or in our Zucchini Hummus Wraps. Eggplant is in season now, so you can easily find one at the grocery store or farmers market. To find out how to choose and store an eggplant, read our Eggplant Produce Basics.

To give eggplant a try, you can follow the full Baba Ganoush recipe: https://spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu/recipe/baba-ganoush/

Enjoy!