When you think of beef sausage, I’m sure many of you don’t think about combining it with eggplant and swiss chard. Some of you may not know what swiss chard is or how to cook it. A lot of Hawaii cooking is taking random ingredients that don’t traditionally go together and cooking them to make a meal because that is what you have.
This recipe came about because eggplant is still in season here and zucchini season ended. I love to eat eggplant in any form, so I thought we should give it a try in this stir fry since we love it so much with zucchini. (My son is not an eggplant lover, so this stir fry could not win him over. But he still likes the sausage and swiss chard!)
Our favorite beef sausage right now is made by Teton Waters Ranch. You can find it at Costco and Whole Foods. It’s not greasy like some of the other beef sausages on the market. In addition, they use grass-fed beef so there are tons of vitamins in the meat. My family loves that it has Vitamin C since we love meat so much.
Health Benefits: Eggplant
This nightshade vegetable is full of vitamins (like Vitamin K) and antioxidants. It’s low in potassium so it can be good for people with kidney conditions. However, if you have or are prone to kidney stones, eggplants might be something to eat only occasionally. The oxalates in the eggplants can contribute to forming kidney stones.
If you don’t need to worry about kidney stones, eggplant is great for an overall healthy diet. It is low in calories, can easily be added to many dishes and cuisines, and might also help with reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Why is my eggplant turning brown when I cook it?
The purple color in the skin of the eggplant changes when it’s exposed to heat. The only way I have seen the color stay purple is when the eggplant is deep fried in oil. If you’re avoiding deep frying, you will not be able to avoid the brownish skin color of eggplant.
The color change has absolutely no impact on the flavor of eggplant. It’s meaty and soaks up the sauce you’re cooking it in making for delicious meals.
Health Benefits: Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is a delicious green vegetable. It’s slightly sweet when cooked and tastes similar to cooked spinach but without the filmy taste you get in your mouth when you eat too much. Packed with antioxidants, Vitamin K, and fiber, it’s a no-brainer to add to your stir fries, soups, stews and casseroles. It’s also great as a simple side dish stir fried with olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper.
Don’t forget about these other tasty and fast dinner recipes for the whole family:
Beef Sausage, Eggplant, and Swiss Chard Stir Fry
Equipment
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 11" fryer pan or saute pan
Ingredients
- 3 long eggplant cut into strips
- ½ tsp salt
- water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 12 ounces beef sausace (about 4 sausages)
- 1 bunch swiss chard stems and leaves separated, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves chopped (about 1 tbsp)
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper optional
Instructions
- Cut and soak your eggplant in a bowl with the salt and water. Cut your remaining ingredients while this soaks, for about 8 minutes.
- Heat pan to medium high heat. Add olive oil to the pan.
- Add sliced sausages to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the sausage is cooking, drain and rinse the eggplant. Rinsing removes the excess salt.
- Add eggplant and swiss chard stems to the pan. Stirring occasionally, cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Add garlic to the pan, stir, and cook for one minute. Add swiss chard leaves and black pepper (optional) and cook until the swiss chard is wilted, about two minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pan while the swiss chard cooks to get the fond off the pan and mixed into the stir fry.
- Serve with any grain (rice, oats, quinoa, etc.) or cooked pasta.
