Healthy Eggplant Lasagna

This dish...although it sounds too healthy to be yummy...is SO yummy!  It seems like I am always looking for a healthy, delicious recipe and this may be my new go to!  I found the recipe online at Food.com after hearing about interesting diet guidelines from several friends who are on the Paleo diet.  The pictures below are from my lasagna (Bryan LOVED it by the way...even without noodles) which I think turned out so pretty.  The picture embedded in the recipe below is from Food.com. Just look at all that cheesy lasagna goodness in my pics...YUM!!!  Let me know what you think!

I Lost My Noodles! Low Carb/South Beach Eggplant Lasagna

By PattiCakeB on February 09, 2004

Photo by Tea Jenny

109 Reviews

• 
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Servings: 8

About This Recipe

"I was looking for a yummy South Beach recipe to curb my Italian Cravings. I found a vegetarian lasagna recipe using eggplant slices as noodles, substituted my own meat sauce, and voila! A low carb keeper in our home! The eggplant taste is indistinguishable with all of the bold italian flavors, and adds the needed texture of the missing noodles. I've also seen zucchini strips used as the mock noodles. Try it!"

Ingredients

Mock Noodles

• 2 large eggplants, peeled, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch noodle-like strips
• cooking spray ( olive oil spray is best)
• salt and pepper

Meat Sauce

• 1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin or 1 1/2 lbs turkey breast or 1 1/2 lbs Italian sausage
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 red peppers, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) packages sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons italian seasoning ( or mix of oregano, basil and thyme)
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( if you dare!) (optional)
• 1 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
• 1 cup red wine (optional) or 1 cup vodka (optional)
• 1 (28 ounce) cans tomato sauce ( or large jar sugar free sauce if you can find it)
• 1 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes ( for less sugar, 3 chopped roma tomatoes)

Cheese Mixture

• 2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs

Page 2 of 2I Lost My Noodles! Low Carb/South Beach Eggplant Lasagna (cont.)

Ingredients

• 3 green onions, chopped
• 3 cups shredded lowfat mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray cookie sheet, arrange eggplant slices and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook slices 5 minutes on each side.
4. Lower oven temp to 375.
5. Brown meat, onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes.
6. Add red pepper and mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes.
7. Add spinach, tomatoes, spices and wine and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
8. Blend ricotta, egg and onion mixture.
9. Spread 1/3 of meat sauce in bottom of 9” x 13” glass pan.
10. Layer ½ eggplant slices, ½ ricotta, 1/3 mozzarella and parmesan.
11. Repeat.
12. Add last layer of sauce, then mozzarella and parmesan on top.
13. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.
14. Remove foil and bake or broil another 5-10 minutes until cheese is browned.
15. Let it rest 10 minutes before slicing, if you can wait that long!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 (651 g)

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving           % Daily Value

Calories 449.3

Calories from Fat 187         41%

Total Fat 20.8g                   32%

Saturated Fat 8.5g              42%

Cholesterol 126.3mg           42%

Sugars 12.6 g

Sodium 811.3mg                33%

Total Carbohydrate 33.4g   11%

Dietary Fiber 9.7g              39%

Sugars 12.6 g                     50%

Protein 36.1g                      72%