Here is a twist on a traditional family favorite dish. What’s the best way to make a gluten free lasagna?! Utilizing exquisite eggplants to replace the noodle sheets, of course! They have similar texture and not too strong of a flavor to mimic the traditional pasta noodles. This dish packs more flavor and nutrients with just three simple layers. Besides the eggplant layer, i incorporated a mushroom Florentine with farm fresh squash blossoms and a mix of freshly grated mozzarella, topped with sprinkled Parmesan. And, I can’t forget about the fresh basil marinara sauce component that meshes well together. Basically i used crushed garlic and onions, sauteed in olive oil. Then i added a can of high quality crushed tomatoes, fresh sprigs of garden basil and voila! A super simple and delicious dish! Hope you enjoy.

Exquisite Eggplants!! Below are the numerous health benefits from an article found, THREE CHICKS ON A DIET, of specific roles of eggplants in treatment and prevention to improve both the length and quality of life.

1. Reduced Risk of Cancer

When used properly, eggplant can provide many health benefits, including being important in the treatment and prevention of cancer. Eggplant has been found to be especially useful in the treatment of colon cancer due to the high amount of fiber found within eggplant. Fiber is important in the treatment of colon cancer because it is a relatively porous nutrient, and because of this, as it moves through the digestive tract, it has the tendency to absorb toxins and chemicals that can lead to the development of colon cancer. For best results, individuals who are interested in reducing their risk for the development of color cancer should be sure to include the skin of the eggplant during consumption. Research has found that the skin of eggplant may contain more fiber that the actual eggplant itself.

2. Weight Loss

As stated above, eggplant contains high amounts of fiber, making it a great food in the fight against cancer. But, the fiber found in eggplant has other uses–namely, its ability to be a useful tool for people who are trying to lose weight. Fiber is a relatively “bulky” food, meaning that is takes up a lot of room in the stomach. Therefore, by eating eggplant in a salad or appetizer before a meal, dieters are likely to have a greater feeling of satiety, and generally eat fewer calories (thereby achieving a substantial weight loss with time). In addition, fiber is slow digesting, and takes a long time to move from the stomach to the digestive tract. Because of this, the eggplant keeps dieters feeling full for a longer period of time–and therefore, they won’t be as tempted to snack between meals, which will again aid in weight loss.

3. Better Skin Tone

Finally, eggplant contains a high amount of water–and similarly, aside from fat and bone, our bodies are composed of almost primarily water. Water has important roles in a variety of pathways through the body, but has been found to be especially important in the maintenance of healthy skin and hair. Individuals who are dehydrated are more likely to exhibit hair that is thin, dry and has split ends, along with skin that appears to be flaky, dry, with a greater number of lines and wrinkles. Consuming adequate amount of water through either water itself or through food items such as eggplant can not only improve the quality of your hair and skin, but also the general performance of your body. For best results, eat the eggplant raw–research has found that cooking it removes some of the water that is so beneficial.

 

Here’s the recipe!!

 

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS:

2 farm fresh eggplants, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

4 tbsp olive oil

sea salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

fresh marinara sauce

1-2 cups mushrooms, any style

1 medium onion

5 squash blossoms, halved and interior removed

handful spinach

Parmesan, sprinkled

shredded mozzarella

INSTRUCTIONS:

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice eggplant into fairly thin strips about 1/4 inch or so ( you may keep skin off or on) and place on a baking cookie sheet. Brush olive oil, sea salt and pepper on each sides. Let roast in the oven until tender; about 10-15 minutes.

While roasting, prepare the marinara sauce. Then the mushroom Florentine mixture. Sweat the onions and garlic until fragrant in a heavy bottom saucepan; about 2-3 minutes or until translucent and tender. Add the spinach and blossoms to the pan. Cook for another couple minutes until slightly wilted. Remove from stove and set aside.

Prepare a large baking dish and begin to layer the ingredients. I prefer to stack them individually but you may layer them like bricks. Start with a layer of marinara sauce beneath the first layer of eggplants, proceed with a light layer of sauce, then a layer of mushroom Florentine, the mozzarella and then back to the eggplant layer. Continue until utilized.

Cover with aluminum foil or if you have a glass topping. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Then enjoy!!

 

NUTRITIONAL VALUE: Calories 124; Cholesterol 2mg; Sodium 284mg; Total Carbohydrates 13.7mg; Dietary Fiber 5.6g; Sugars 5.9g; Protein 3.3g. Vitamin A 21%, calcium 3%, vitamin C 23%, and iron 14%. It’s low in cholesterol, high in fiber, iron, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

 

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