Nibble away your cholesterol with almonds and eggplant

By Angela Stephens
Gannett News Service

Adding more of those elements into one's diet is good health advice.

Almonds are a great snack. They've been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Sprinkle toasted almonds on dishes, including the tossed salad with dinner. But they are high in calories, so you'd better skip the ice cream to make up for it.

Eggplant, which belongs to the nightshade family (which also includes tomatoes, potatoes and peppers), has antioxidant qualities. It also is high in potassium, magnesium and folate. Even if it's not high on your list of desirable foods, its mild taste and texture pair with other foods, particularly flavorful or spicy marinades or sauces such as curry.

Here are a few ways to serve eggplant:

• Eggplant curries and other spicy stews.
• Eggplant stir-fries. Or just add some into your standard vegetarian stir-fry.
• Roasted and pureed into a dip such as baba ghanoush.
• Marinated and grilled as a side dish or main course item. (Try topping it with crumbled feta cheese after grilling.)
• Eggplant gratins. Many of these recipes pair it with tomatoes and Mediterranean herbs such as oregano or thyme.
• Stuffed with a tomato or mushroom mixture and baked.
• As ratatouille, cooked with zucchini in olive oil and garlic with onion, red pepper and fresh basil.