Healthy Eggplant Dip

For easy entertaining or a healthy snack between meals, try this low-calorie dip made from hearty cooked eggplant. Just bake, puree, chill and serve! Originally from the Parade magazine from a February 1, 2009 Houston Chronicle. Serve with pita chips or crisp flatbread.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  firm eggplants (about 1 1/2 lbs. each)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press
• 1  lemon, zested and juiced
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 3  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh basil
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put the eggplants on a baking sheet lined with foil, prick with a fork in several places,and roast 45 to 60 minutes, until soft and shriveled.
3. Cool and halve eggplants; scrape the flesh into a food processor with the olive oil; puree.
4. Add remaining ingredients and pulse just to combine.
5. Spoon into a bowl, cover and chill several hours or overnight before serving.