Eggplant Parmesan tends to get a greasy rap that most people think sounds delicious, but complicated and not exactly the picture of health. This whole foods recipe version is gluten free, uses lean turkey and lots of flavor to deliver a delicious yet nutritious punch!
With kids back to school and schedules filling up once again, it is great to have some recipes that can be made ahead and thrown in the oven while everyone unwinds for the day so you can still enjoy a family meal together. This eggplant parmesan can be made with or without meat and assemembled the night before so you have more time to enjoy a glass of wine or help with that tricky algebra equation and less time slaving in the kitchen.
A note on the palm shortening I use for frying the eggplant. A lot of people tend to see the word “shortening” and immediately their mind goes to the slabs of crisco moms used to throw in, well, everything in the 50’s. This version, however, is from sustainably farmed palm trees and is a mixture of saturated and monounsaturated fats that have never been hydrogenated so it is trans fat free and vegan. It has a high smoking point and no flavor so it is ideal for healthy pan frying or deep frying as in this recipe. I will be creating a post to talk more directly about different fats and why good fats are our friends and not to be feared despite what the 90’s has unfortunately ingrained in us, but for now don’t be afraid to enjoy the delicate crunch of organic eggplant in this recipe!
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Organic Eggplant Parmesan (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggplants, sliced into 3/4Ó thick rounds
- 1.5 cups Spectrum Palm Shortening (for frying)
- 2 tablespoons Bionaturae Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and medium diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 organic red pepper, top taken off, seeds removed, and medium diced
- 4 cups organic spinach
- 1 cup organic basil leaves, sliced thin
- 1 quart Muir Glen Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce
- 1 lb Plainville Lean Ground Turkey or Light Life Gimme Lean Vegan Ground Sausage
- 12 ounces Minerva Dairy part skim mozzarella
- 2 cups grated Parmesan
- 3 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
Method
- Scatter salt over the eggplant slices liberally. Let the eggplant slices sit for 1 hour then rinse lightly and blot dry.
- Heat the oven to 425¡.
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat with the palm shortening. When the shortening is hot, test the skillet by putting a drop of water in the oil and it should sizzle.
- Fry the eggplant in batches until the bottoms are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the eggplant slices and brown the other side, about 2 minutes. Remove the eggplant slices from the oil and lay them down on paper-towel-covered plates. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, in batches.
- Set that skillet, drained of the oil, onto medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, and peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the ground turkey/vegan sausage and cook through breaking up into small crumbles.
- Add the spinach and cook until just wilted then add the basil and stir until the scent of the basil releases into the room.
- Meanwhile, in another pan, heat up the tomato sauce until it is simmering then keep warm.
- Ladle enough tomato sauce onto the bottom of a 9×13 casserole pan to cover entirely. Arrange slices of eggplant on top of the sauce. Add a layer of the vegetable/meat mixture. Ladle more sauce on top. Make a layer of the mozzarella slices. Add the sliced tomatoes, the last of the sauce, and the parmesan cheese.
- Put the pan into the oven. Bake until all the cheeses and sauce are bubbling and hot, about 25 minutes.
- Pull it out of the oven and serve immediately.
Now that summer is coming to a close, check out our blog post on yoga for beating back to school stress! In order to take full advantage of Tidal Creek’s weekly deals and specials consider becoming an owner.