I didn't realize how NOT flavorful regular lasagna noodles were until I made this dish with eggplants instead. Feel free to personalize by stuffing with your favorite ingredients, and you'll never miss the pasta!
- 2 large eggplants, cut into ¼ in. slices and steamed until tender (about 5 min)
- 16-oz. pkg pre-cooked spicy Italian veggie or chicken sausage (try Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods), cut into ¼ in. pieces – OPTIONAL
- 16-oz. frozen spinach, thawed (be sure to squeeze all the water out)
- 1½ jars organic pasta sauce (I prefer Trader Joe’s roasted red pepper marinara)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 7½-oz. fresh ricotta (or lowfat cottage cheese with excess moisture patted out)
- 2 Tbl. grated/shredded parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a 9×12” baking dish with half the eggplant slices (cool them slightly after steaming so they can be handled), overlapping them to avoid gaps. Evenly layer half the sausage slices, then all of the spinach, then all the garlic. Add the ricotta, spreading thinly over the previous layers. Pour half the sauce over the layers, spreading evenly with a knife. Add the rest of the eggplant slices, sausage, and sauce (in that order). Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and bake for approx 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Allow 5 minutes to cool a few minutes before serving. Serves 8.
Note: Feel free to replace the marinara sauce in this recipe with another organic, preservative-free sauce, or your own homemade sauce, and try a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for an added kick. You can also replace/add to the spinach with your favorite veggies, like mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, etc.
Nutrition info per serving: 245cal, 10.4g fat (3.3g sat, 0g trans), 49mg cholesterol, 868mg sodium, 19g carbs (8g fiber, 7g sugar), 18.3g protein.
From the healthy kitchens of Gina Hicks and Emily Duval Ledger.