I love vegetables. I have said it many times before and will continue to make this statement. You can literally make anything with vegetables and still make it taste good. So, of course it wouldn’t go un-noticed that I love eggplant parmiggiana. The thing with eggplant parmiggiana, is that although it is made with eggplant, it still ends up being quite heavy and not something that you could eat all the time. I went through a period were I became Vegan for about 6-7 months. It wasn’t as hard as it sounds, but as most of you know you can’t eat anything that derives from an animal, again not that that’s hard (well maybe a little) but eggplant parmiggiana is definitely not something that you could eat considering that there is egg and cheese in there. My theory to cooking is that just because there is an ingredient you don’t like or can’t eat doesn’t mean you can’t make it or even eat it, you can substitute the ingredient or just plain leave out. So, I grilled the eggplant and portobello mushroom with some garlic and olive oil, made my red sauce and layered it stuck it in the oven and out came a delicious invention. My Husband loved it as did I.

I am not a Vegan anymore but sometimes I still like to have meatless days, this eggplant parmiggiana here is an in-between of the vegan and regular version. It is faster to whip up and lighter. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized Eggplant

1 16oz can Tomato sauce

1 Garlic clove

1/2 lb. Mozzarella cheese Grated

Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven at 350 degrees.

Slice your eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds (or long ways it’s really up to you), salt them each individually and stack. In a medium sauce pan/pot drizzle olive oil and place over medium heat, add your garlic clove whole and allow the oil to get the flavor, now you may add your tomato sauce , some salt and pepper to taste, cover and let simmer.

Put a skillet over medium flame and drizzle olive oil, lay out your eggplant and allow to turn golden and then flip. Continue this process until all of them are done cooking.

Turn off your sauce. Get your baking dish, put first a little bit of sauce at the bottom and then lay out your eggplant evenly, pour some tomato sauce evenly over the eggplant and then sprinkle some mozzarella, continue this same process until your baking dish is filled and put in the oven for about 20 minutes. You will now when to remove from over your cheese will be completely melted and turning a light shade of gold.

Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve.