Eggplant Parmesan, Healthier Version

Eggplant Parmesan, Healthier Version
From: tarragon918

The eggplant parmesan, healthier version, turned out delicious! So, here is the recipe (which is kinda made up by me, from several that I saw online):

Need: 1 or 2 medium to large eggplants (you can peel them or not, your preference)
panko bread crumbs, a couple of eggs, beaten with @ tablespoon of water.

Preheat oven to 375 F, spray baking sheets with cooking spray
Slice eggplant into slices about 1/4-1/2 in. thick, dip in egg mixture, then dredge in panko bread crumbs (I suggest using a ziplock bag - less messy!). Bake them at 375 for 30 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes.

You'll need at least 24 oz. of tomato sauce - I used some spaghetti sauce straight from the jar. But you do need a big jar (the really big jar, actually LOL).

Cheeses: ricotta (I used the part skim one), the bigger container if you like it cheesy, or the smaller one if not. Mix in 1 beaten egg, Italian spices of your liking (basil, oregano, parsley), a little salt and pepper and about 1/3 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

I used a 9X13 glass dish, and started with a layer of sauce, then a layer of eggplant slices, then the ricotta cheese mixture, followed by a light sprinking of shredded mozzerella cheese, then more sauce, eggplant, and so on. You should have at least two layers - that's enough, really. End with a layer of sauce, mozzerella cheese on top of that, and about another 1/3 cup of the parmesan on top of all of it. Cover with foil and bake at 375 F for about 30 minutes. Take off the foil and bake another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese browns some more.

Mine was not saucy enough, really, but it tasted sooo good. There were NOT any leftovers,and I was sad about that. But it will definitely be made again, probably next week!

Asian Noodles

Asian noodles
From: taxi78cab

Boil some whole grain pasta. I prefer linguine, but rotini is good too or soba noodles if you want to be more authentic (not that anything about this is remotely authentic).

In a large skillet, saute any of the denser veggies like carrots, tossing in bell peppers just for a couple minutes. When those are almost ready, add any other veggies you want. I like to throw in frozen (without the shell) edamames, snow peas (frozen is great here too), waterchestnuts if I have them on hand, maybe some bean sprouts, and maybe shredded cabbage if I have that. I always try to include shredded carrots, peas, and edamames (for protein), but other than that, all items are optional depending on what you have available. Not so optional are some green onions/scallions although I did use regular onions last night 'cause that's all I had, but it wasn't as good.

Make the sauce in the skillet with the veggies at the end: Add 2-4 Tbsp cider vinegar, a whole lotta peanut butter (the natural kind with just peanuts and salt in it is better here) like 1/4 to 1/2 cup, some sweetener - molasses is good - usually around a Tbsp, and a bunch of soy sauce. Add some sort of hot sauce, just a dash of Sriracha is good or more to taste.

Toss the noodles with the vegetables and sauce. At the very end, right before serving, add some sesame oil (just a little... this stuff is strong!) and a bunch of chopped cilantro. These two items add a lot of flavor so don't skip them. Some peanuts on top are very nice too, but we didn't have those last night either. Most things are optional in this recipe, but I do recommend having the scallions, the sesame oil, and the cilantro because they really bring the flavor together. And obviously the PB is necessary for peanut noodles! That's it.

Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetable Lasagna
From: swampbear (who got it from a friend)

1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 (26-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato basil pasta sauce
2 tablespoons commerical pesto
1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
Cooking spray
6 hot cooked lasagna noodles (about 6 ounces uncooked), cut in half
3/4 cup (3 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375º.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and the next 4 ingredients (mushrooms through onion); cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pasta sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Combine pesto and ricotta in a small bowl. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture in the bottom of a 8-inch square baking dish or pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodle halves over tomato mixture. Top noodles with half of ricotta mixture and 1 cup tomato mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining tomato mixture over noodles; sprinkle with mozzarella.

Cover and bake at 375º for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Note: To make ahead, assemble as directed; stop before baking. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature; bake as directed.

Meatless Recipes (Links)

Lenten Recipes
From: Lissla Lissar

In response to a request for recipes appropriate for Lent, LiLi shared:

Thread from Catholic Answers forum

Thread from Chowhound