Eggplants can get Huge. However you slice it or dice, it soaks up surrounding flavors deliciously, and provides wonderful anthocyanins***
Those large eggplants can be a challenge, but the size also lets them become excellent lasagna layers!. You can also cube or slice to smaller slices for delicious roasted veggies or stir fry.
This eggplant inspired lasagna layers; yesterday’s boiled potato extras and some hummus were great for filling between layers.
Eggplant Lasagna Ingredients:
Tomato Sauce*
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Thyme, Oregano
Your homemade Hummus**
Boiled Potatoes (smashed)
Nutritional Yeast
*(Our local grocery carries a yummy low sodium, organic tomato basil sauce)
Layering your Eggplant
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*
Smooth a layer of sauce on a glass dish (not coated with oil) or other nonstick pan
Add a layer of thinly sliced eggplant, topped with a layer of tomatoes
Sprinkle with Thyme and Oregano
Follow with another eggplant layer
topped with hummus**
Final eggplant layer, topped with the smashed potatoes and tomato sauce
Shake on nutritional yeast (great for B12 and a cheesy flavor)
Sprinkle lightly with thyme and oregano
Bake for 30 minutes and check – add 10 – 15 minutes if eggplant hasn’t softened.
Ready to Serve
**Making your own hummus is simple:
Drain a can of low sodium garbanzo beans (or your favorite beans), saving the extra liquid to add as needed
Place beans in food processor, with chopped clove or garlic (more or less)
Grind beans until smooth, add liquid as needed
Add 1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
Add chopped red/yellow/orange baby peppers, grind lightly
Have fun experimenting with your own hummus variations!
And, of course, add a wonderful leafy green salad.
I aim for 2 large salads a day for healthy blood vessels (To my heart, brain, kidneys, lungs, gut, muscles!) Along with the leafy greens, add a rainbow of colors of fruits and veggies – reflecting the presence of lots of wonderful vitamins and nutrients.
Enjoy this blog for another favorite (and easy) eggplant recipe. and some fun variations…even a one-dish meal!
“Purples” are rich in nutritionally valuable anthocyanins!
A subclass of phytochemical known as flavonoids, they have potent anti-inflammatory properties and scavenge free radicals. They also help regulate endothelial function; the endothelium is the all important lining of your blood vessels. The anthocyanins help regulate nitric oxide (NO) production which helps blood vessels stay smooth, resist plaque and dilate effectively. These nutrients also benefit glucose control and blood pressure and brain blood flow.
