Eggplant Parmesan

Italian food is so delicious and easy to make, yet most of it loaded with gluten and salt. Here is a recipe that I made easy ingredient swaps to make it work for us and has the same taste and satisfaction as the original version.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, large
4 eggs, beaten
3 slices gluten free bread
3 tbsp corn starch
2 cups tomato sauce (recipe for sauce below)
2 cups parmesan cheese, shredded
olive oil
canola oil
1/2 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Dice bread up and put in bowl, drizzle a little olive oil on, sprinkle on the garlic powder, onion powder and oregano, then toss. Spread bread out on a cookie sheet, place in oven til brown (about 10 minutes), keep an eye on it, they will burn easily
3. Once cooled, pulse bread in food processor to make crumbs
4. Peel and slice eggplant into 1/2 inch slices
5. Place eggplant in baggie with cornstarch and shake to coat. This will probably have to be done in batches to do it all
6. Prepare casserole dish by spraying with non-stick cooking spray
7. Place 1/2 cup tomato sauce in bottom of casserole dish and spread around to coat the bottom
8. Set up 2 bowls, in one beat your eggs with a tablespoon water. Mix your toasted bread crumbs and 1/4 c parmesan in the other
9. Heat up frying pan (low to medium heat) and add some canola oil when hot. Keep the heat rather low and take your time... the eggplant can easily burn
10. Using a fork or tongs, take eggplant slices and coat with egg, then in bread crumbs..Once coated, place in hot pan. Do no cook all the way through, you only want to brown both sides. Once browned, layer into your prepared casserole dish
11. Add layer sauce and cheese between layers, topping with a layer of cheese and any leftover breadcrumbs
12. Once layers are done and topped with cheese, place casserole dish in oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until top is browned

• This make about 6-8 large servings
• Optional sides: Pasta w/ sauce (for gluten free, use rice noodles/sticks)

Want to make your own sauce?

It is easy to make your own sauce. I like mine chunky, so I saute veggies first, then add the tomatoes. You can add or exclude any of the *extras* in this easy recipe and have it your way


1 onion diced*
1 carrot shredded*
2 stalks celery, sliced thin*
2 can crushed tomato (low sodium)
1 can diced tomato, incl juice (low sodium)
1/2 c red wine*
2 tablespoons garlic*
1 tablespoon dried oregano or basil
1 tablespoon sugar or Splenda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
canola oil
few dashes of balsamic vinegar*

*extras

In sauce pot, saute onion, carrot and celery in about 1 tbsp canola oil until softened and slightly browned (when the oil is gone)
Add in wine, make sure to scrape up the goodies off the bottom
Add in remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes

This will make plenty for the eggplant parm dish with some leftover for your noodles