I love eggplant parmesan but can do without the fat, calories and the mess from frying.  I came up with the idea of grilling my eggplant this summer and created this incredibly delicious and healthy recipe.  It is also easier and way less of a mess to make than traditional eggplant parmesan.

I also love using the fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic, it simply makes me feel healthier just by using them in their natural state.  Today I am using frozen basil from my garden  that I grew this summer, it is just as good as fresh to use in recipes such as this.

 

Ingredients:

1 Eggplant

2 cloves garlic (please feel free to use more or less to taste)

2 tomatoes

3 tablespoons fresh or fresh frozen basil- if using dried, use a pinch between layers

1/4 cup of shredded Italian cheese per serving

Olive oil

Salt

Breadcrumbs(optional)

Peel and slice the eggplant long ways in thin slices.  I use my mandolin slicer.  Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes This will draw the moisture out of the eggplant to give you a little bit of a firmer slice as well as draw the bitterness from the seeds.

While waiting on the eggplant to degorge, go ahead and slice up your tomatoes into thin slices and mince the garlic.

After a while, you will see a dark liquid coming from your eggplant, drain it off then rinse and pat dry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coat the eggplant on with a little olive oil and grill for a few  minutes each side. Make sure you watch your grill as they cook fast. If using a George Forman type grill, check on them every minute or two.

 

Now it is time to assemble, on a baking sheet, layer the vegetables as follows:

 

Grilled Eggplant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sliced tomatoes and garlic

 

 

Basil

 

Cheese

 

Repeat until you have a stack that is between 2 and 3 inches high. Be careful to not stack them to high as they can fall over.

 

 

 

 

 

Mist the top layer of eggplant with a little olive oil and then sprinkle with around a teaspoon of breadcrubs if desired.  You can also put breadcrumbs in the layers but I find that it really does not need the extra calories, those breadcrumb calories add up, real fast.

 

Place  baking sheet in 350 oven for about 15 minutes or so.

 

Nutritional Data per My Fitness Pal (one tablespoon of breadcrumbs on top)

243 Calories

11 Carbs

6 Fat Grams

9 Grams Protein

7 Grams Saturated Fat

32 Cholesterol