Delicious and Nutritious: Eggplant Parmesan

Happy New Year! Here is a great way to fulfill your New Year's diet resolution with a tasty and healthy dish. Eggplant contains fiber and is low in calories, tomato sauce is packed Vitamin C and Potassium and Ricotta Cheese is high in protein (whey). It is also vegetarian (if you use Marinara style tomato sauce) and low in fat.

Carole’s Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

2 Small Eggplants (approximately 6 - 8 inches in length by 3 inches in width)

3 - 4 Large Eggs (2 - 3 for dipping the eggplant in, 1 for use in the Ricotta Cheese Mixture)

2 cups of Italian Style Bread Crumbs

1 pound container of Fat Free or Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
8 ounces of Shredded Mozzarella (Part Skim)

2 teaspoons of oregano, salt and pepper to taste

2 - 3 cups of Italian style Marinara Tomato Sauce (depending on preference)

1/4 - 1/2 cup of Olive Oil or Canola Oil 
2 Small to Medium bowls to prep/dip the eggplant
Pan spray; olive oil or canola, for prepping the baking dish.
1/4 - 1/2 cup of Grated Italian Parmesan Cheese (Romano will work too).
Wax paper (for use in preparing the eggplant)

1 Medium mixing bowl (to prepare the Ricotta Cheese)

1 large non-stick style fry pan, 12 inch size

1 large baking dish, 13 x 8 inches in size

*Try to use:

• Eggs with Omega 3 (it will be on the label/carton)
• Bread Crumbs without hydrogenated oil
• Marinara Sauce (if you're buying prepared sauce) without high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oil
• Ricotta cheese that is fat free or part skim and Mozzarella that is part skim

*Doing these 4 things above will yield an even healthier final dish.

Cut the eggplant in ¼ inch size width slices.  Start with one egg and whip in a small bowl. Place ½ cup of bread crumbs in a separate small bowl.  One by one, dip each eggplant slice in the egg bowl, coat both sides in the bread crumbs. Once each eggplant slice is dipped in both, place on a separate platter, separate the layers of prepared eggplant with wax paper so they don’t stick together.  (Add the 2^nd egg as needed to the egg bowl and add more bread crumbs to that bowl, depending on your preference/how thick a layer of bread crumb you want to coat each piece with).

After all of the eggplant is prepared, place approximately 1 - 1 1/2 Tablespoons of oil in the pan, now you can begin to lightly saute them on the stove top, approximately 3 minutes on each side or until soft to the touch and slightly browned on the outside.  Place the cooked eggplant in a separate dish (different from the one used for the uncooked eggplant), separate each layer with wax paper as you proceed (as above).

Helpful Hints:

• Add a little more oil each time you add new pieces of eggplant as needed if the oil dries up.  However, if using a good non-stick type of fry pan, you won’t need too much oil. The goal is for the olive oil to add to the taste of the dish. If you use canola, it is a healthy oil also, but it won't add any flavor. 
• The pan will get hotter the longer you cook the eggplant, lower the heat accordingly when this occurs, so the eggplant will not burn. *if using olive oil, please remember is has a lower "smoke point", so you will need to maintain a low to medium heat to prevent smoking and burning.

Once the eggplant is prepped above, mix the ricotta cheese with one egg, the package of mozzarella cheese and the oregano. Keep on the side for your next step, layering in the baking dish with the eggplant.

Spray the inside of the baking dish with Olive oil pan spray (or canola). Spread 2/3 cup of tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of the baking dish. (You may need to use slightly less or more, depending on the thickness/consistency of your sauce). Add one layer of eggplant over the sauce.  Now add all of the ricotta cheese mixture, spreading evenly over all of the eggplant. Spread another 2/3 cup of tomato sauce over this.  Now place a 2^nd (and final) layer of eggplant evenly over the pan.  Top with another 2/3 cup of tomato sauce. Add and spread the grated cheese on top of the sauce. 

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for one hour. Rotate the pan carefully in the oven at 30 minutes (half way through the total cooking time), so it cooks evenly

Helpful Hint: 

• Place your eggplant baking dish on a larger baking dish, such as a cookie sheet with sides, to help prevent burning yourself from splash burns. The contents can become very bubbly and hot sauce can spill easily when moving the pan. I also  recommend you wear good quality oven mitts as a second level of precaution when handling this hot dish). 

Cool slightly and serve with extra tomato sauce and grated Parmesan or Romano cheese on the table; so guests can add extra sauce and cheese to their liking. If you plan on serving the eggplant with a small side of pasta, plan for a little extra tomato sauce. Add an Organic Romaine based salad on the side to complete this great Italian meal.