Healthy Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Eggplant is low in calories and high in nutritional value, providing significant amounts of dietary fiber, as well as copper, manganese, potassium, B vitamins and potent antioxidants.

This easy healthy recipe for eggplant parmesan is a variation of the more traditional method of frying the eggplant slices in oil before assembling the casserole. This baked eggplant recipe is less time-consuming than the original eggplant recipe, and has lower calories, yet it is equally as rich and flavorful.

No-Fry Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 26 ounce jar of pasta sauce
2 cups crushed cracker crumbs or bread crumbs
4 eggs
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt

Cooking Directions:

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
* Cut the eggplant into ¼ inch slices.
* Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let them sit for about 15 minutes, then rinse off the salt and pat dry with a paper towel. This will remove excess water and bitterness.
* Beat the eggs in a bowl.
* Dip the eggplant slices in the egg mixture.
* Dip the eggplant slices in the bread or cracker crumbs, thoroughly coating the surface.
* Lay the breaded slices on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the crumbs are browned.

While the eggplant is baking, prepare the sauce.

* Saute the chopped onion and garlic in the olive oil.
* Add diced tomatoes and pasta sauce and heat to boiling.

Remove the baked eggplant slices from the oven and assemble the casserole.

* Place one layer of the baked eggplant slices in the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2 or similar baking dish. Cover the slices with a layer of sauce.
* Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
* Repeat layers until the baking dish is full.
* Sprinkle the top with grated parmesan cheese.
* Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Eggplant parmesan is an excellent and healthy way to add eggplant to the diet, especially for children who may be reluctant to try eggplant. This eggplant casserole also keeps well and is good leftover the following day.

Source:
World's Healthiest Foods www.whfoods.com

This article originally appeared on Suite101
http://www.suite101.com/content/no-fry-eggplant-parmesan-recipe-a196605