Amazing Brain Healthy Smoky Vegetable Stew - AJavolte - My own recipe..

Amazing Brain Healthy Smoky Vegetable Stew - AJavolte (For you Marika )- My own recipe..

Ingredients:

2- large eggplant 

2 Green squash

2- yellow squash 

1- medium Bag of chopped carrots

3 - Mild Chili peppers

3 - Parsmips

1- can chopped tomatoes

1- liter chicken broth

1-Salt  to taste 

1-Pepper to taste 

Smoked Chipolata Paprika to taste 

3 Garlic cloves

1- Olive Oil as needed 

1- can of Cannalini beans

Optional add Italian sausage or beef

Hint- You can substitute any veggies you like or dislike this works great with Mushrooms, Broccoli Rob, Spinach, any root veggie all different bean are also very good I change it up every time I make it so make it your own!!!  

Dice all veggies and saute until slightly browned (I saute each veggie separate in some olive oil and salt and pepper and add to pot.  Then saute garlic in some Olive oil place in large pot.  Add chopped tomatoes and Chicken broth stir in some table spoon hot sauce and smoke paprika salt, pepper.  Let simmer 20 minutes enjoy with some whole grain Italian bread and Romano Cheese!  

History

Classified as a fruit and eaten as a vegetable, eggplant has derived its name from the early varieties cultivated. The initial breeds were smaller and white, resembling eggs; hence, were named eggplants. Historians and botanists credit India as the motherland of eggplant where it was grown in the wild. It was only in the 5^th century BC that China started cultivating it as an edible plant. From there, it was introduced to Africa before the Middle Ages. However in the early Middle Ages, the Arabs and North Africans brought eggplants into the Mediterranean region from where, they spread throughout Europe and the Middle East. The Europeans considered eggplant to be more of a decorative garden plant than a food as it was thought to be poisonous, just like tomato. But with the development of new varieties in the 18^th century, the eggplant lost its original bitter taste and bitter reputation, becoming an edible vegetable in many European cuisines. Today, it is a prized vegetable in the Italian, Greek, Turkish and French kitchens. Centuries later, European experimental botanist Thomas Jefferson took eggplant to the Western Hemisphere where it was initially used as a table ornament. And do you know that it was only in the 20^th century that eggplant finally found a place in food preparations. Italy, Turkey, Egypt, China and Japan are the leading producers of eggplant currently.

Health Benefits of Baingan (Eggplant)

• The presence of phytonutrients, nasunin and chlorogenic acid in considerate amounts provide eggplant with several antioxidant properties. Nasunin, found in the skin of the eggplant, effectively neutralizes the free radicals in the body. Apart from protecting at the cellular level, nasunin and chlorogenic acid protect lipids present in the brain cell membranes.
• Studies reveal that eggplants are capable of improving the flexibility of blood vessels, resulting in the improvement of blood flow. Besides, the active nutrients, phytonutrients help in lowering bad cholesterol levels.
• Eggplant is a good source of dietary fiber which contains many cardio-protective factors and helps in keeping blood sugar under control, lowering cholesterol, improving the digestive system and assisting weight management.
• With a good amount of essential B-complex groups of vitamins, like pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, thiamin and niacin, eggplant helps the body to replenish the requirement of fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.
• The skin of eggplant has been found to contain high amounts of phenolic flavonoid phyto-chemicals called anthocyanins. These antioxidants have been researched to protect the body from health risks, like aging, inflammation and neurological diseases.
• With the fiber content present in significant amounts, eggplant successfully helps in curing colon cancer. It is because of the fiber which moves through the digestive tract and absorbs toxins and chemicals that can otherwise lead to the development of colon cancer. As such, people, who wish to protect themselves from the risk of colon cancer, should consume the skin along with the flesh of the eggplant. Studies show that the skin contains more fiber than the flesh.
• Besides the fiber content fighting against cancer, eggplant is a helpful tool for people trying to lose weight. Since fiber is a bulky food and occupies a lot of space in the stomach, consuming eggplant in a salad or appetizer before the main course gives feelings of satiety; thus, you are likely to consume fewer calories from other foods. Furthermore, fiber digests slowly and takes a long time to move from the stomach to the digestive tract. As such, eggplants give you feelings of fullness for longer durations, stopping you from eating in between meals.
• With high water content, eggplant is found to be extremely significant for the maintenance of healthy skin and hair. By not keeping yourself hydrated, you are likely to exhibit thin, dry hair with split ends and flaky, dry skin. Your body can be hydrated by drinking lots of water or eating foods that contain water which can improve the texture of your skin and hair. It is recommended to eat eggplant in the raw form to extract the most benefits as cooking removes some of the water content.