roasted eggplant + olive dip

I am in love with a dip.  No, not Brian.  It's this eggplant dip recipe that I've tinkered with every time I make it, and now it's perfection.  I wouldn't normally call a recipe I make perfection, but hear me out: it is really tasty.  AND: it is really healthy.  Healthy and dip don't normally go hand in hand but this one does!  And the combination of smoky eggplant, sweet onions, and salty olives is a flavor combination made in heaven.  It could also be used as a sandwich spread, or even a pasta sauce.  If you'd like to fall in love with a dip, gather these ingredients:

1 eggplant
1 sweet onion
1/2- 3/4 cup olives (green or kalamata)
1/8 cup lemon juice
1 cup greek yogurt

serves 4-6

First grab your eggplant and sweet onion and preheat your oven to 350.

Cut your eggplant in half lengthwise and chop your onion into largish chunks. Place the eggplant face down on a pan and lightly spray your onion chunks with cooking spray (or drizzle them with a tsp. of olive oil).

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring onions halfway through. The onions should look browned and the eggplant should be wrinkly and soft to the touch. Let the onions and eggplant cool completely.

The eggplant should look like this:

Once the eggplant is completely cool, scoop out the flesh into a food processor (or a blender).

Add the onions and blend.

Add in the olives,

and the lemon juice.  Blend all together to a consistency with very small chunks, but not to a smooth consistency.

Pour your mixture into a bowl.  You could stop here, if you'd like.  It's good this way.  But I love the creamy addition of greek yogurt, and it tips it over into greatness.  So stir in your yogurt until well blended.

Serve it up!  I like it with pita chips and veggies, and Brian likes to forgo all dipping foods and eat it with a spoon like a savory yogurt. 

Happy dipping!