Not an eggplant fan? Me either … But when you roast it and flavour it with just a few simple ingredients OMG you will be in heaven. Plus how fun is it to say Baba Ghanoush!

So this last month while in Vancouver has been very lucky to say the least. Before I came here the weather was needless to say awful, but everyday since has been beautiful. It reminds my why Vancouver is constantly being voted one of the most liveable cities in the world … sorta. They still need to sort out the crazy ridiculous housing market though which I am not even going to get into cause it can turn real negative real fast. And I’m not about being negative

I spent 10 days in Whistler hiking, eating and probably one too many late nights but with my best friends so it was worth it in the end. One thing that one day, possibly, maybe I will be able to look back on and say it helped me with my fear was going on the Sasquatch Zip-line. Apparently it was my recommendation to go on it but I can’t recall that being the case. I have never been on a Zip Trek in my life for three very important reasons ..

1. I hate going fast
2. I hate heights
3. I hate heights

No that is not a typo, I really hate heights. Sometimes in my dreams if I am walking over a bridge I will wake up in cold sweats from fear. I can hold snakes, eat twitching octopus but heights no. So we get on the chairlift at the base of Blackcomb and got seated with our guide. I asked him a few questions, which looking back I almost wish I didn’t, and to my horror I learnt what I was really about to encounter.

Me: “Can I ask you a few questions? I don’t like heights and I don’t like going fast am I going to be OK?”

Guide: “Well the Zip Line is over 700 feet heigh and you go roughly 135 Kilometres and hour and takes 2 minutes. You are zip lining from one mountain to the other.”

Well let me tell you the fear set in, even more so when I got up to the top and started to watch the people in front of go. I was instantly in a state of such extreme panic. I was crying and laughing at the same time because I couldn’t decide what to do with myself. I ended up going 20 minutes later, closed my eyes almost the whole time and when I got to the end I am pretty sure they had to pry my hands off the handlebars I was holding on so tight.

But you know besides that, my trip has been pretty great. Lets just say …. NEVER AGAIN!

But enough of my terrifying experience lets talk about something more positive, like cooking. I am not the biggest fan of Eggplant but I do enjoy certain preparations of it. My top three would be Baba Ghanoush, Ratatouille and Eggplant Parmesan because anything covered in cheese and tomato sauce can’t be bad.

The dip does taste like Eggplant but because you are slow roasting (hopefully over the BBQ) it takes on a more sweet smoky flavour. Any I mean BBQ always makes things taste better.

I usually make this dip along with some Tzatziki or Hummus and that can pretty much be my dinner. More Chip and Dip meals please, healthy of course. A few reasons why you should be eating this dip more

1. Healthy
2. Quick
3. Vegetarian
4. Creamy
5. Light
6. Fresh

I added some Greek Yoghurt because it adds an extra level of creaminess but if you are vegan you can easily leave it out and it is not going to effect the dish. Another way I like making this dip as well is while you are roasting the eggplant, roast a head of garlic with it and mix that in with your dip. I mean who doesn’t like roasted garlic, maybe crazy people.

Hope you enjoy xo