Easy (and healthier) Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant is one of those foods that about half the people in my life won’t eat. A solid 50% to be exact. Been trying to figure out what’s so bad about it since being a person who loves all vegetables, the very notion of not liking one seems silly. But, I think I recently figured out what it is about eggplant that makes people want to push their plate aside. One word….texture. I find that when it’s cut too thick, even I, queen of all things veggie, want to spit it out. In this recipe, I cut the eggplant as thin as I possibly could and it makes such a big difference. You can also use a vegetable slicer. This easy (and healthier) Eggplant Parmesan is one of those meals that you can't really screw up. Just cut up some onion, slice some eggplant, and shred some cheese!

Eggplant Benefits

Eggplant is a vegetable born into the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. It’s a great source of fiber, B vitamins (especially B1), as well as potassium and vitamin K. Eggplant also contains phytonutrients and phenolic compounds that function as antioxidants in the body that can help ward of certain cancers.

Choose eggplants that are bright in color and a bit heavy for their size. Like most veggies, opt for organic whenever possible.

The onions
In this video I placed the onion on the bottom, but you can layer in the middle if you wish. Once the casserole is done, I’ve found it really doesn’t matter too much what gets layered on when.

The Cheese
For the cheese, I usually use a shredded organic blend of mozzarella, cheddar, or perhaps a mild provolone. You can really use any cheese you like.

Watch Video Here

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion chopped

1 small/medium eggplant very thinly sliced

4 cups good tomato sauce

2 cups shredded organic cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Spray a 9-13 baking dish lightly with cooking spray.

Sprinkle on the onion, followed by the half the eggplant, sauce and cheese. Repeat. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.