Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan


More sugar free food. I'm just so thrilled with all the savory food I've been making lately. The great thing about cooking is you don't need a recipe, unlike baking which can be more of a science.

Eggplant Parmesan was on our menu one night. I adore eggplant. I can eat babaganoush by the spoonful.  Traditional eggplant Parmesan is terribly unhealthy with white bread crumb coating, then probably fried in vegetable oil, topped with tomato sauce that may contain sugar (yes lots of tomato sauces have sugar), and smothered in bad cheese....

Luckily it can be made healthy! Bread it with grain free healthy ingredients, use organic sugar free tomato sauce, and top it with organic raw cheese and you've got a crazy delicious yet healthy meal.


Eggplant Parmesan

1 eggplant
Himalayan salt

Slice thick rounds of eggplant with it's skin on.
Add the slices to a large bowl of water and sprinkle a spoonful of salt on top. Stir it all together with your hands and push the eggplant under the water. Set aside while making the breading. Soaking in the salt water will draw the bitterness out of the eggplant - watch the watch change colour.
After about 10 minutes drain the water off, rinse, and squeeze each piece to let excess water out.
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Grain Free Breading

1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup Coconut flour
1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt
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1/4 cup coconut flour
2 eggs, whisked
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Coconut oil, heated in a pan when ready to cook 
Tomato sauce, heated
Cheese of choice, grated (I like raw cheddar)

Preheat oven to 350F.
Toss together the almond, coconut flour, and salt in a large bowl.
In a zip lock bag toss the eggplant with the 1/4 cup coconut flour to coat it.
Use tongs to dip the eggplant slices into the eggs and then into the breading mixture making sure to coat all parts.
Add the coated slices to the heated coconut oil and fry on each side until golden, then transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the eggplant is fully cooked through (fork will pierce through easily).
When cooked, ladle hot tomato sauce on top and sprinkle with grated cheese (it will start melting quickly).

Still on an eggplant kick, I made a pan of roasted eggplant, red and yellow bell peppers, garlic, and onion, tossed with fresh parsley after roasting. These were a great accompaniment to salads or as a side dish.

I made a big pot of chicken stock from a chicken we got locally. I love that we can use the entire chicken. I used the meat for chicken with mushroom gravy and cauliflower mashed potatoes one night, J got chicken sandwiches for work, we froze a bunch, and I made paleo chicken pot pie (more on that later). And of course the bones provided this nourishing broth!


Shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays

7 comments:

  1. This looks great! I'm gonna bookmark this recipe! :-)

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  2. Is there a replacement for the eggs?

    Thanks!!!

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    Replies
    1. You could try flax eggs - mix 1 tbs ground flax with 4 tbs water. Let it sit a minute.

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  3. Great minds! Just made a modified version of this myself! I'll have to try with the flours you mentioned next time. I make eggplant a lot in the summer because we grow it. :)

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    Replies
    1. Ah no way! Hehe awesome girlie. Super cool that you grow it!!!

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  4. Eggplant Parmesan? Yummy! What are those flax seeds made of? Are they organically grown? I'm just starting to switch to a better lifestyle that's why I've been looking for some recipes that have healthier ingredients in them. I don't want my family to be shocked with all the leaves and seeds that I will be putting into the table, and your Eggplant Parmesan will sure do the trick! Please keep posting more healthy recipes but don't need to sacrifice the taste. Thanks!

    Joseph Carr

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