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Recipe: Eggplant Parmagiana

9 Oct

Version 2Time: 30 minutes to prep, 45 to cook

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 2 8-ounce cans no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
  • 6-ounce can no-salt-added tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. salt-free Italian seasoning
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • Dash red hot-pepper sauce

***

  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/8-inch-thick rounds (about 1 pound)
  • 10 ounces light firm tofu, drained and patted dry with paper towels
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 cup shredded fat-free or part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup crumbs from French or sourdough bread

Directions

  1. In a food processor or blender, process the sauce ingredients for 30 seconds, or until no lumps remain. Set aside.
  2. Preheat broiler.
  3. Place eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Do not overlap. Broil 4 inches from the three to four minutes per side, being careful not to burn the eggplant. Remove from the broiler. Set aside to cool.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. In a food processor or blender, process the tofu and egg white until smooth.
  6. In a small bowl, toss the mozzarella with the flour to keep the cheese from clumping.
  7. In an 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish, layer the ingredients as follows: one third of the sauce, one half of the eggplant slices, one third of the sauce, all the mozzarella, all the tofu-egg mixture, remaining eggplant slices, remaining sauce, Parmesan and bread crumbs.
  8. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Verdict

This took a bit more work than I usually spend on a meal, but it is so, so good. I love eggplant parmigiana, but I rarely make it because of how long it takes to prepare. The chopping, processing, mixing, waiting, baking, blah, blah, blah, is more than I usually put into making my meals. I like things that take 30-45 minutes altogether–basically as long as it takes my Seamless order to arrive at my door. But when you actually put work into your food, you gain a new appreciation for it. I don’t usually cook with tofu, but you can’t really tell it’s there. It absorb the flavors of the dish itself, so all you’re doing is adding a creamy texture to the dish. I did make a few alterations: regular bread crumbs and oregano instead Italian seasoning. All in all, I highly recommend this one. If you’ve got the time, this one is definitely worth it.

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Recipe: Spinach, Chick-Pea and Olive Pasta

27 Feb

photo (12)Time: 10 minutes to prepare; 20 minutes to cook

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces dried radiatore or rotini pasta
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach (about 2 ounces)
  • 15-ounce can no-salt-added chick-peas, rinsed if desired and drained
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained (about 6.5 ounces)
  • 12 kalamata olives, drained and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil, crumbled
  • 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Procedure

  1. Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain in a colander and run under cold water until completely cooled. Drain well.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients except feta.
  3. Add pasta to the spinach mixture, tossing gently yet thoroughly to coat. Add feta and toss gently.

Verdict

I love this pasta salad. It’s colorful, tasty and super easy to make. It’s a great summer salad, but occasionally I’ll whip it out in colder months because it’s so damn easy to make. Definitely eat it in the first few days of preparing it, as the spinach will wilt pretty quickly.

Courtesy of Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, Third Edition

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Recipe: Mini Turkey Meatloaf

29 Aug

meatloaf

Time: 30 minutes to prepare; 35 minutes to cook

Ingredients

  • 1 pound turkey burger
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp. of herbs (any combination of thyme, rosemary, parsley, basil, etc.)
  • 1 8-oz. can low-sodium tomato sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp. prepared mustard
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar

Procedure

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients in bowl. Mixing with your hands is best, but a wooden spoon will also do.
  3. Form the mixture into 4-6 loaves.
  4. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 35 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
  5. While the loaves are baking, mix together the ketchup, mustard and brown sugar. Spoon over the loaves for another 10 minutes.

Verdict

Can I be honest with you? I actually really enjoy meatloaf. I love that it’s easy to make and that it’s comfort food. I’ve made no secret of my love for comfort food. This recipe is a combination of what I know of cooking and a few added tips from the Extreme Fat Smash Diet cookbook. If you like meatloaf, you’ll love this. It’s less fat than ground beef, and the portions are smaller because it’s individual loaves. I served mine with sweet potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts.

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