Vegetable Lasagna....and my take on eating healthy!

Vegetable Lasagna...and my take on eating healthy!

I have decided to take initiative to healthier and leaner dinners, that are primarily vegetable based. I do not have an aversion to meats, carbohydrates, fats, etc. It has just been a logical conclusion that I have come to. We burn the most calories when we are active, which is daytime. Along my line of thinking, it would be best to eat your largest meal (most caloric dense) in the morning in order to give your body maximum opportunity to utilize the calories and metabolize the food properly. Your lowest caloric intake should be in the evening, when your body is preparing to rest. 

I, personally, am not into depriving myself of food, and don't truly enjoy salads for dinner. I love to eat, preferably savory, home-style dishes, in a decent portion size. This brings me to an easy, quick dish that fits all of my criteria! Vegetable Lasagna. This dish does not have any meat, oils, nor pasta! You can add a large variety of vegetables, cheeses, and seasonings to this blend, or make it as simple as my recipe. The beautiful thing about vegetable lasagna, is that it can be transformed to your liking and tastes. 

To make this dish, you will simply need: 1 medium/large eggplant, 2-3 cups of your favorite pasta sauce, 1 12oz. bag of frozen spinach, thin sliced mozzarella (or favorite cheese), fresh parley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 

 I start by trimming a small portion of the outside skin off of the eggplant, and slicing it into 1/4 inch slices. (No need to be exact) Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium-high, and place the eggplant (with no seasoning) onto the skillet. Lightly season the face-up side of the eggplant with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. At this point, I usually add a little bit of water to the pan to create a steam and help the eggplant to not stick. Flip the eggplant, and cook until tender, adding water as needed.

 Once all of the eggplant is cooked, you can start layering your lasagna. I always start with a bit of sauce in a pyrex dish, to keep the cheese and eggplant from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

 Then, place your first layer of eggplant on top of the sauce.

 Add about 1/3 of the frozen spinach.

 Top with thin sliced mozzarella. (I purchase mine from the deli on a #1 slice)

 Snip some fresh parsley over the cheese. Then, continue to layer your lasagna until you have reached the top of the pan.

 I like to top the lasagna off with about 3/4 cup of finely shredded mozzarella; however, the sliced mozzarella will also work nicely.

 Bake the lasagna in a pre-heated, 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

                           

 Top the cooked lasagna with some fresh parsley and parmesan (optional), and serve.

 Now, that looks like dinner to me! The beauty is that this dish has just under 300 calories for a 1 cup serving, and loads of vitamins and minerals. The eggplant has a meaty texture, which will compensate for any pasta or meat that you would put into a traditional lasagna. Enjoy!