Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Grilled Eggplant with Garlic Vinegarette, Feta & Herbs

 
For the vinaigrette:
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • Kosher salt
  • 1-1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 small shallot, very finely diced
  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin seed, lightly toasted and pounded in a mortar or ground in a spice grinder
  • Pinch cayenne; more to taste
For the eggplant:
  • 1 large globe eggplant (about 1 lb.), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed
  • Kosher salt.
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh mint
  • 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Make the vinaigrette:
With a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and a pinch of salt to a paste, or mince the garlic, sprinkle with salt, and mash into a paste with the side of a chef’s knife.
Combine the garlic paste and 1 Tbs. of the lemon juice in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Combine the shallot with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice and a pinch of salt in another small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk the olive oil, cumin, and cayenne into the garlic mixture. Season to taste with salt or cayenne, if necessary.
Grill the eggplant:
Prepare a medium-high charcoal or gas grill fire. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt. Grill (covered on a gas grill; uncovered on a charcoal grill) until golden-brown grill marks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the eggplant and grill until tender and well marked on the second sides, 3 to 4 minutes more. The interior should be grayish and soft rather than white and hard.
Top grilled eggplant slices with the shallots, feta, and herbs. Whisk the vinaigrette and drizzle it on top. Serve immediately.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : with grilled eggplant; Calories (kcal): 160; Fat (g): fat g 15; Fat Calories (kcal): 130; Saturated Fat (g): sat fat g 3; Protein (g): protein g 2; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 10; Carbohydrates (g): carbs g 6; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): sodium mg 260; Cholesterol (mg): cholesterol mg 5; Fiber (g): fiber g 3;
Photo: Scott Phillips

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

80's Workout Playlist

 
I am the biggest sucker for 80s music. Being the youngest child with much older siblings, I grew up with The Cure and Depeche Mode and Talking Heads, and... I could go on.

The 80s had the perfect mix of good beat and bouncy. I have a hard time with really heavy beats that many people love to sweat to, so when I am working out I need the lighter quality to keep me from ending up sprawled out dead on the gym floor. My rule of thumb is, if a song makes you unconsciously drive faster, it's a good one for the workout.

And so I have assembled a killer 80's workout playlist (though there are a few 70's and 90's in there...) And there are so many that aren't on this list- I'm always adding to it and will post new songs and playlists as I make them. Enjoy!



Songs with * are ones I super love and sometimes skip songs to get to.

*Take On Me - A-Ha
Train of Thought - A-Ha
You Shook Me - ACDC
Love Shack - B52's
*Roam - B52's
Tarzan Boy - Baltimora
*Rush - Big Audio Dynamite II 
*The Globe - Big Audio Dynamite II
Gonna Fly Now - Bill Conti
Hooked On a Feeling- Blue Swede
Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
*Holding Out for a Hero - Bonnie Tyler
Shake It Up- The Cars
You Might Think - The Cars
Magic - The Cars
Dreams - The Cranberries
*Boys Don't Cry- The Cure
Let's Go To Bed - The Cure
The Lovecats - The Cure
*Inbetween Days - The Cure
Close to Me - The Cure
Just Like Heaven - The Cure (note: there is a beautiful cover of this song by Katie Melua, check it out)
Friday I'm in Love - The Cure
Hot Hot Hot!!!- The Cure
Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper (yes, this isn't super high energy, but sometimes you need heart more than speed)
Let it Whip - Dazz Band
*Brand New Lover - Dead Or Alive
You Spin Me Round - Dead Or Alive
Lover come Back To Me - Dead Or Alive
Let's Hear it for the Boy- Deniece Williams
Personal Jesus- Depeche Mode
*Just can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode
Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode
Shake the Disease - Depeche Mode
People are People - Depeche Mode
Master and Servant - Depeche Mode
Romeo - Donna Summer
Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
Girls on Film - Duran Duran
Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money
Sometimes - Erasure
Chains of Love- Erasure
*A Little Respect - Erasure
*Take a Chance on Me - Erasure
Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Faith - George Michael
What About Love - Heart
The Heart of Rock & Roll - Huey Lewis & The News
The Power of Love -  Huey Lewis & The News
*Don't You Want Me - The Human League
Love Action - The Human League
Together In Electric Dreams - The Human League
Human - The Human League
Flashdance/ What a Feeling - Irene Cara
I Want You Back - Jackson 5
You're the Best - Joe 'Bean' Esposito (Get your Karate Kid on!)
Hurts So Good - John Mellencamp
Footloose - Kenny Loggins
Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins
Maniac - Michael Sembello
Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil
All I Need Is A Miracle - Mike + the Mechanics
*I Melt With You - Modern English
Never - Moving Pictures
Kyrie - Mr. Mister
One Night In Bangkok - Murry Head
*True Faith - New Order
Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order
Regret - New Order
*Blue Monday - New Order
Heartbreaker - Pat Benatar
*Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar
West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
Opportunities - Pet Shop Boys
*It's a Sin - Pet Shop Boys
Always On My Mind - Pet Shop Boys
1999 - Prince
*Kiss - Prince
Cream - Prince
*Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
Together Forever - Rick Astley
Don't Say Goodbye - Rick Astley
She Wants To Dance With Me - Rick Astley
*Take Me To Your Heart - Rick Astley
Let's Go To The Mall - Robin Sparkles (yes, this isn't a "real" 80's song, but it makes me laugh. Gotta love HIMYM)
Cherry Bomb - The Runaways
Escape - Rupert Holmes
*Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds (makes me want to watch Breakfast Club every time)
All The Things She Said - Simple Minds
Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
We Built This City - Starship
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship
It's Not Over (Til It's Over) - Starship
Kiss Me - Stephen Tin Tin Duffy
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Burning Down The House - Talking Heads
And She Was - Talking Heads
Tell It To My Heart - Taylor Dayne
Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears
Shout- Tears For Fears
*Head Over Heels - Tears For Fears
Pump Up The Jam - Technotronic
She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
*Wake Me Up (Before You Go-Go) - Wham!
Bust A Move - Young MC