I had no idea asparagus was going to be so popular last week. Wow. I’m glad you all have enjoyed our Healthy Recipe Thursday and today promises to be even more exciting. Well, if eggplant is exciting. If you’ve ever tried baking or (heaven forbid) frying eggplant you’ve learned pretty quickly that if oil is involved they turn into greasy little sponges before you can say “squishy vegetable”.
Let’s have crispy, low calorie, baked-not-fried goodness with these little bits of eggplant goodness, shall we?
They’re glorious with fresh tomato sauce or on top of whole wheat pasta and Panko bread crumbs provide the perfect crunch without being heavy.
The weather is warming, the sun is shining and its a great time to add recipes like this one to your files for spring and summer. Look and feel your best one step at a time!
Skinny Eggplant Stacks (Serves 4)
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds or so)
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning (or add your own seasoning to taste)
1 whole egg
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
cooking spray
____________________________________________________
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the eggplant thin for crispy chips or thicker, depending on how you want it–up to about 1/2″ thick at the most. In a small bowl, beat the egg and water.
On a plate blend the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic and pepper.
Dip the eggplant into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs pressing down firmly to make sure they are coated all over.
Lightly spray a cookie sheet and lay the eggplant in one layer. You may need more than one sheet for all the slices.
If baking thin chips, bake about 15 minutes, turning once halfway through. For thicker slices, bake 30-40 minutes until golden, flipping halfway. Serve with marinara sauce or melt a little mozzarella over the top and serve with pasta.