{eggplant "noodle" lasagna}

It is amazing how your body no longer craves foods you thought you couldn't live it out. Pasta and breads are some of those foods for me. I don't have much of a desire to want them any more. In fact, I look for healthier, more nutritious substitutions for them almost instantaneously. It is like my brain recognizes these simple carbs will more than likely be converted to fat so it is turned off by them.

I have enjoyed lasagna. The combo of good tomato sauce and melted cheese. Mmmmm.... So when thinking of a pasta noodle substitute eggplant immediately came to mind. And like most things that come to mind that I wonder about (food or other), I googled to see how others have done it and then adapt it for myself.

Actually I don't make stuff like lasagna often due to all the cheese, but I had a good amount of left over ricotta from a salmon dish I tried and I wanted to use up.

So off to get an eggplant!

I went to the first grocery store...they were out. :( But I wanted to make the lasagna for dinner that evening. So down the road I go to my only other option grocery store. I am hoping the whole way there that they would have one. And they did!

Yay! Home to make my creation!

I don't have to tell you that it came out good and tasted great! Obviously it did or I wouldn't be sharing it. The sauce is an easy, go-to tomato sauce. Some lean ground turkey can be added as another option.

Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce

The recipe below makes a whole 9x13 pan. I only made a 8x8 pan using 1eggplant and half of the sauce and filling. With the other half of the sauce and filling, I boiled up some real lasagna noodles to make a regular lasagna for my daughter. So that's an easy way please everyone in the family.

Choose.STRONGER. ~ ♥ JenG

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{eggplant “noodle” lasagna}

 

“Noodles”:

1 large or 2 small eggplants, sliced lengthwise

Salt & pepper

EVOO

Sauce:

28 oz crushed tomatoes

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

1 Tbsp EVOO

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup of basil, chopped

Filling:

15 oz light ricotta cheese

4 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded and divided

4 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 eggs

Salt & pepper

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

For “noodles”: Line 2 cookie sheets (might need more) with foil and spray each with cooking spray. Line sheets with a singe layer eggplant slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with EVOO. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. When done, set aside for later.

For sauce: In a sauce pan or deep skillet, combine all the sauce ingredients except the basil. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of basil and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

For filling: In a bowl, whisk 2 eggs. Add and combine ricotta cheese, HALF of the mozzarella and HALF of the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of the greased baking dish, creating a thin layer of sauce. Arrange half the eggplant “noodles” over the sauce. Spread the filling mixture over the eggplant layer. Then spread half of the remaining sauce on top of the filling. Layer remaining eggplant slices. Top with remaining sauce, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and cheeses are melted. To help  brown the cheese, turn the oven to broil and broil for a few minutes until cheese is the desired brown. Let lasagna cool for 10 minute or so before cutting.