This Cheesy Eggplant Casserole is basically vegetarian lasagna. Lasagna is an easy, filling one-dish meal. For a meatless dish, this recipe has a good amount of protein per serving, almost as much as a 4 oz. serving of meat. Protein helps the body to repair cells and tissues. It also helps your immune system recover from illness. When going through cancer treatment, it is important to eat enough protein.
Ingredients
1/4 tsp. salt
2 small to medium eggplants, peeled and sliced, about 1/2-inch thickness
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 bell pepper (red or green) diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
2 cups no-salt added tomato pureé
1 (14-oz.) can no-salt added diced tomatoes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Olive oil cooking spray
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1¼ cups shredded, low-fat mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle salt over eggplant and set aside.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Sauté onions, pepper, mushrooms, and garlic until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add seasoning, tomato pureé and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 22 minutes.
Coat eggplant with flour, front and back. Coat skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add eggplant slices in batches and cook, covered, until browned, turning once about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
In a 7 x 11-inch casserole dish, spread about 1 cup sauce. Add a layer of eggplant. Top with 1 cup cottage cheese, more sauce and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat again, placing a layer of sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake uncovered, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 servings.
Per serving: 258 calories, 9 g fat, 24 g carbohydrate, 21 g protein, 7 g dietary fiber, and 600 mg sodium.
Recipe from the American Institute for Cancer Research.
