Healthy Eggplant & Pasta Bake |
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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 50 Minutes |
Ready In: 80 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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I started craving Eggplant Ziti after watching too many episodes of The Soprano's - but I wanted a version I could feel good about eating. Use regular pasta if you like - But if you've never tried quinoa pasta it is awesome. It's way healthier than regular pasta and tastes a little like corn. Easy and DELISH! Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, sliced 1/4-inch thick |
1 large zucchini, sliced 1/8-inch thick |
4 garlic cloves, diced |
1 1/2 cups dry measure quinoa pasta (elbows) |
1 (16 ounce) container low fat cottage cheese |
1 egg |
8 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese |
2 ounces grated romano cheese (or parmesan) |
1 (25 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (or about 1 1/2 cups homemade) |
salt & fresh ground pepper |
Directions:
1. Salt eggplant slices and let sit 30 minutes in colander.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta 4-5 minutes (about halfway done). drain & rinse with cold water.
3. Mix egg and cottage cheese together. Rinse eggplant and pat dry.
4. Use a 9x9 or 9x13 casserole dish (the 9x9 will be filled to the brim). Spray with olive oil cooking spray. Start layering the ingredients. First a thin layer of sauce, then arrange so there are 2 layers of each ingredient: salt & pepper the veggies a little as you go & make sure the cottage cheese mixture is next to the pasta (it cooks into the pasta & tastes great). Top layers with sauce and about 1/2 the mozz & parm.
5. Bake 40 minutes covered & then uncover 'til brown & bubbly (about 10 more min.) Let sit a few minutes before slicing.
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