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Looking for Picking tips for Vegetables in 2024?  Scroll down this page and  follow the links. And if you bring home some fruit or vegetables and want to can, freeze, make jam, salsa or pickles, see this page for simple, reliable, illustrated canning, freezing or preserving directions. There are plenty of other related resources, click on the resources dropdown above.  If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

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Picking tips for Vegetables

Eggplants: Nutritional Content, Growing Tips and Recipes for Eggplant!

I've only seen one recipe for dilled eggplant, and I'm doubtful it could be safely canned, maybe with a Pressure Canner, but for how long, I don't know. I'm sure it could be safely frozen though: see this page for how to freeze eggplant. And this page has a nice summary about how to grow eggplants in your own garden.

Nutritional Value & Health Benefits of Eggplant (a.k.a., Aubergines)

Eggplants have a small amount of nutrients. They are naturally low in calories and unpeeled, they provide some fiber. There is also some folate and potassium. (ref: Univ of Illinois)

Nutrition Facts (1 cup cooked, cubed )

Calories 27.7
Protein .82 gram
Carbohydrates 6.57 grams
Dietary Fiber 2.48 grams
Phosphorus 21.78 mg
Potassium 245.52 mg
Folate 14.26 mcg

Lemon-Dilled Eggplant and Summer Squash

  • 1/4 cup broth
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 medium green bell peppers, cored and cut into thin strips
  • 2 cups diced eggplant
  • 4 cups diced yellow summer squash
  • 4 medium tomatoes, chopped and drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Heat broth in a large saucepan. Add garlic and onions, and saute until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add bell peppers, eggplant, and squash, and sautee for 5 more minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, black pepper, oregano, and dill. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

3. Remove cover and continue to simmer until any excess liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.

4. Stir in lemon juice and serve at once.

Makes 4 servings

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I have a zillion tomatoes on the vine right now....So many in fact that I cannot keep up with the canning of them. Is it possible to freeze the tomatoes whole and then later, when canning season starts to wind down, thaw them and then can them in a boiling water bath or pressure canner (depending on what I am making)?

A. Yes. In theory, you should blanch them first, but in practice, if they will only be in the freezer for a few months, I just use a 60 second blanch followed by ice cold water to slip the skins off, squeeze out excess water, then freeze them in a ziploc bag.