This is my new favorite summertime meal! It’s spicy, cheesy, crunchy, yummy, and healthy. What’s not to like. It has all my favorite summertime ingredients too; tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, oregano, garlic, and eggplant.
Quick Tomato Sauce
1 large can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1-2 cloves of garlic, pressed or chopped finely
2-3 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
3-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped finely
Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer stove until eggplant is ready.
*If you don’t want such a chunky sauce, run all ingredients through a blender first.
Eggplant Parmesan
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole-wheat panko or bread crumbs
6 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 globe eggplants ( about 2 1/4 lbs. total)
1-2 cups part-skim, low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
6 slices of tomato
6-12 large basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray and/or foil. Set aside.
Place egg whites in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, and salt. Trim ends off eggplants and cut each eggplant into 6, 3/4 inch slices. One at a time, dip eggplant slices in egg whites, then into bread mixture, arranging coated slices on prepared baking sheets. Bake until eggplant is tender and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven the last 5 minutes, top each eggplant with mozzarella and return to oven until cheese is melted.
To Assemble Stackers:
Place one slice of eggplant ob plate. Top with one slice of tomato and 1-2 basil leaves. Top with another slice of eggplant. Top with sauce and garnish with chopped basil.
Adapted from Clean Eating, September/October 2009
Your pictures and comments are so good. Your photography makes everything so mouth watering.