Eggplant Lasagna

I experimented with some yummy vegetables this weekend, and came up with this low-fat, low-calorie lasagna. While most lasagnas end up somewhere between 350-600 calories per serving, this no-meat version is only 163 calories per serving! The eggplant, once baked in the lasagna, does an admirable job of replacing the creamy texture of ricotta cheese, and the fresh basil helps give this dish a garden-fresh taste. You could probably find some delicious eggplant and basil in a farmer's market, but to test how simple I could make this recipe I just used what was at my local supermarket. If you try this recipe out, I'd love to hear how it turns out! Happy Cooking, Breana

Ingredients: 1.5 cups crushed canned Tomatoes 1 medium Eggplant 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, part-skim, shredded 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese .5 cups Basil, Fresh (about 1 bunch, or 10 leaves) 1 serving Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles (about 3 noodles)

Instructions:
Instructions:
Cook the noodles (3 noodles) in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain from water and set aside to cool.

While noddles are cooking, slice eggplant lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick strips. Saute in cooking spray (Pam) until just softened and slightly brown.

Rinse basil leaves, remove stems, shred leaves gently by hand.

Light spray inside of a loaf pan baking dish with cooking spray.

Cut (with kitchen shears) 1 noodle into 3 sections, place on the bottom of the loaf pan. (NOTE: cutting the noodles is necessary to make them fit into a standard loaf pan. If you are using a square baking dish, cut only if needed to fit the dish you are using.)

Layer noodle with 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes, 1 layer of the cooked eggplant, 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 of the basil. Add another layer of noodles, 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes, 1 layer of the cooked eggplant, 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, and the other 1/2 of the basil. Finish with a final layer of noodles, last 1/3 cup of mozzarella, and sprinkle the Parmesan (or grated fresh Peccorino Romano) over the top.

Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

I made this recipe in a loaf pan, planning on only 4 servings, but you could easily scale this up for more servings and use a larger baking dish. Cooking time would remain the same.

Nutrition Facts
Recipe Serves 4 people

Amount per Serving
Calories 163 Calories from Fat 64
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6.91g	11%
Saturated Fat 4.25g	21%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.06g
Cholesterol 1.25mg	0%
Sodium 293.75mg	12%
Potassium 181.13mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 12.61g	4%
Dietary Fiber 3.11g	12%
Sugars 0.48g
Protein 11.95g	24%

Vitamin A	11.25
Vitamin C	8.38
Calcium	16
Iron	7.63
Vitamin E	0.21
Thiamin (B1)	5.03
Riboflavin (B2)	1.03
Niacin (B3)	3.14
Vitamin B6	3.94
Phosphorus	17.25
Magnesium	14.25
Panthothenic Acid	0.17
Zinc	1.22
Manganese	0.19

Est. Percent of Calories from:
Fat 38.2%
Carbs 30.9%
Protein 29.3%