Recipe Time

I am NOT one of those women who Cook.  (Capital C.)  I cook.  (little c.)  I fix food for my family to eat.  Oh I go through stages when something pulls me into the kitchen (boredom, stress, what I perceive is a craving...) but for the most part, I just don’t get my good feelings about myself from my cooking.  It’s a good thing, too....

But some of my best friends, as well as my practically perfect daughter and Masher are huge recipe nerds.  Heaven knows there are millions of people out there who are like them, or there would be no cooking channels, there would be no cookbook bestsellers, and there would be no online recipe vaults for anything and everything in the world to cook.  In case you’re one of THOSE PEOPLE, here’s my Eggplant Parmigiana.  MY WAY.

2 eggplants

4 egg whites plus 1T water

2 cups dry Italian bread crumbs

1 jar spaghetti sauce, 60 calories or less per 1/2 cup

3/4 c skim mozzarella 

1/3 c parmesan cheese, shaved

spices you like:  basil, garlic, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, black pepper etc.

2 eggplants, skinned and sliced 1/4” thick.  In a large bowl, place eggplant in water to which 1 T of salt has been added.  Put a plate on top to weigh down and submerge the slices in water.  Let soak for 20 minutes.  Rinse thoroughly, then dry on paper towels.  Keep switching out the paper towels when they get soggy.  (This is a pain, and I guess worth it?  Apparently the salt brings out the bitterness in the eggplant.  I guess....)  Set the dried slices aside.

In a bowl, whip 4 egg whites with 1 T cold water.  

In another bowl, use 2 cups dry Italian bread crumbs.  

Dip the eggplant slices in the egg whites, then cover completely with crumbs.  

Place on no-stick cookie sheet and BAKE for 15 minutes at 350, PER SIDE.  

In a casserole, start with 1/4 c. jar spaghetti sauce (look for the healthy version with 60 calories or less per 1/2 cup.  Keep looking.  It’s there.)  Top with a single layer of eggplant.  Top with a 1/4 c skim mozzarella (read your cheese label carefully), some shaved parmesan cheese, and some fave spices.  Repeat layers ending with cheeses.  This last time I made it, I chopped up fresh basil and added a little drizzle of pesto on top of the eggplant layers.  Oh my.  

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly and melty.  Let sit for a few minutes to set up, then enjoy with a spinach salad dressed with balsamic-mustard vinaigrette.(Balsamic vinegar whisked with some dijon and a DAB of olive oil.)  Then for my starch loving Masher, I cook some pasta and toss it with a dribble of olive oil and fresh ground black pepper.

It’s good.  And healthy.  And gets you over the craving-Italian hump.  Do you want more recipes?