Eggplant Parmesan

January 12, 2015

One major misconception meateaters have about vegetarian dishes is that the dish cannot be filling.  This recipe is very filling! You definitely know you had dinner after eating this dish, especially if you rounded it out with a nice side salad or fruit.  

In fact, it can almost be considered indulgent if you add a hearty piece of bread or have ice cream for dessert since it is so low in calories. That is as long as you know how much you're eating.  Remember, you can't go wrong if you give yourself about 500 calories for dinner.  This one is 238 calories which means that you can couple it with a few indulgences and still consume a moderate number of calories without fear of gaining weight.  Depending on your calorie allowances and what you have in your other meals you might even lose weight with this satisfying meal.

Eggplant Parmesan

GTLF: Vegetables p. 100

2 egg whites

2/3 C plain dried bread crumbs

1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 in. thick slices

2 C no salt added tomato sauce

14 1/2 oz. can no salt added stewed tomatoes, chopped with their juices

1/4 C chopped fresh mint

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

3/4 C shredded part skim mozzarella cheese (about 3 oz)

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  In a shallow dish, with a fork, beat the egg whites and 2 tablespoons of water until foamy. On a plate, spread the bread crumbs, pressing the crumbs into the eggplant.  Place the eggplant on the prepared baking sheet, spray the eggplant with nonstick cooking spray, and bake for 20 minutes.  Turn the eggplant and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until the eggplant is crisp and golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, tomatoes and their juices, the mint, salt, pepper, and oregano.  In a 9 in. square baking dish, spread 3 tablespoons of the tomato mixture.  Lay half of the eggplant on top, spoon half of the remaining tomato mixture over, and sprinkle half of the mozzarella on top.  Repeat with the maining eggplant, tomato mixture, and mozzarella.

3. Sprinkle the Parmesan on top and bake for 20 minutes, or until the eggplant is piping hot and the sauce is bubbly,  Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve.

Nutritional Information:

6 g fat, 238 calories, 2.9g sat. fat, 35 g carbohydrates, 14 g protein, 14 mg cholesterol, 649 mg sodium.

Tips:

1. Make sure the bread crumbs you use are as finely ground as possible.  I used bead crumbs that had larger chunks which didn't cover the eggplant very well.

2. If you can't find mint, there is always basil.

3. This is dish keeps well.  If you like, prepare as much as 1 day ahead and reheat at 350 degrees covered for 20 minutes.