It's here, it's finally here! For a whole week I am going to be joining in with 18 amazing food bloggers to bring you #HotSummerEats just in time to get you armed with some great new recipes for Summer!
I am kicking off the week with these Grilled Eggplant Stacks. They are fresh, simple and amazingly delicious. Spread with NOT Ketchup blueberry white pepper as the eggplant grills, the sweetness goes well with fresh creamy mozzarella cheese and a juicy tomato! As an appetizer or light side, these will make your the hostess with the most-est at the grill this Summer!
Since I love all the fresh produce available in the late Spring and through Summer, I wanted to start out my recipes with a twist on the classic caprese salad. Most of the time simple stacks of tomato, mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar can be found on our dinner table in the Summer. This year I wanted to create something a little different and our sponsor NOT Ketchup, with their blueberry and white pepper dipping sauce, was the inspiration.
Have you tried the NOT Ketchup flavors yet? These flavors go far beyond the simple condiment with fresh fruit and the tang of apple cider vinegar. Perfect for classic French fries, sweet potato fries, or these grilled eggplant slices.
What is NOT Ketchup, you ask? Not Ketchup is a tangy, all natural, certified paleo-friendly gourmet dipping sauce made from ripe seasonal fruit instead of tomatoes. They have 4 unique flavors; Cherry Chipotle, Smoky Date, Spiced Fig and Blueberry White Pepper.
It is also perfect for basting on the grilling eggplant. I started out with just a little olive oil. I didn't want the fruit dipping sauce to burn. The eggplant soaks up the sweet and tangy flavors of this blueberry based dipping sauce.
But I think it is worth adding the tomato and cheese to create something so pretty... and delicious at the same time.
Grilled Eggplant Stacks
You Will Need:
- 2 large eggplant - Sliced into 3/4" rounds
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, or more as needed
- NOT Ketchup - blueberry white pepper dipping sauce
- 2 large slicing tomatoes
- 6 slices of fresh Mozzarella
- sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
- mint sprigs to garnish
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Brush the eggplant rounds on both sides with olive oil. Season with sea salt and place onto the grill. Grill 3-4 minutes per side until the eggplant begins to soften and you have good grill marks. After turning the first time, brush the top liberally with NOT Ketchup. Remove eggplant and set aside.
To assemble the stack, start with a round of eggplant, then add tomato, a slice of Mozzarella cheese and top with another eggplant round. Drizzle the top with a little more NOT Ketchup, then season with salt and pepper. Garnish the top with a mint sprig and enjoy!
You can learn more about NOT Ketchup and be inspired to use it in more creative ways by following their Instagram handle, Pinterest boards and checking their posts out on Google+.
Grilled Eggplant Stacks w/ @notketchup kicks off my #HotSummerEats #recipes today + #Giveaway http://t.co/RhYfj2jYnd pic.twitter.com/61ERF7JlE0
— Andrea Kruse (@notimeMom) June 1, 2015
Be sure to check out all the amazing sponsors, and learn more about the giveaway prizes in my #HotSummerEats Sponsors and Prizes Post.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclaimer - Thank you to #HotSummerEats sponsors BenBella Vegan, Caribeque, Casabella, Gourmet Garden, Intensity Academy, Not Ketchup, Out of the Weeds. Pirate Jonny's, Quirk Books, Spicely Organics, T.Lish , and Voodoo Cheffor providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for#HotSummerEats without additional compensation.All opinions are my own.
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