Piles of gleaming red tomatoes and dark purple eggplants.

The standard large, heavy, deep purple eggplant is the equivalent of an all-purpose potato, suitable for just about any recipe.

Red peppers, golden carrots, purple eggplant and yellow and green squash form a rainbow of hatch-marked goodness.

Deep purple eggplants and peppers are almost ready to be plucked from the garden.

Ruby-red tomatoes, deep purple eggplants, dewy figs and cherries.

If using large purple eggplant, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for one hour.

If you have a choice, select either baby eggplant or white eggplant: they are less likely to be bitter than the large purple eggplants.

Grill or broil some of the purple and white eggplant along with zucchini and yellow squash.

The plate should be alive with colorful vegetables such as purple eggplant, dark green kale, and bright orange winter squash - all without butter.

Maybe children wouldn't be so enthralled with a goofy purple eggplant if there were something to take its place.