I Lost My Noodles! Low Carb/south Beach Eggplant Lasagna

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 large eggplants, peeled, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch noodle-like strips
• cooking spray (olive oil spray is best)
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin or 1 1/2 lbs turkey breast or 1 1/2 lbs italian sausage
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons italian seasoning (or mix of oregano, basil and thyme)
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if you dare!) (optional)
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
• 1 cup red wine (optional) or 1 cup vodka (optional)
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce (or large jar sugar free sauce if you can find it)
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (for less sugar, 3 chopped roma tomatoes)
• 2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 3 cups shredded lowfat mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• 2 spray cookie sheet, arrange eggplant slices and season with salt and pepper.
• 3 cook slices 5 minutes on each side.
• 4 lower oven temp to 375.
• 5 brown meat, onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes.
• 6 add red pepper and mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes.
• 7 add spinach, tomatoes, spices and wine and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
• 8 blend ricotta, egg and onion mixture.
• 9 spread 1/3 of meat sauce in bottom of 9â€? x 13â€? glass pan.
• 10 layer ½ eggplant slices, ½ ricotta, 1/3 mozzarella and parmesan.
• 11 repeat.
• 12 add last layer of sauce, then mozzarella and parmesan on top.
• 13 cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.
• 14 remove foil and bake or broil another 5-10 minutes until cheese is browned.
• 15 let it rest 10 minutes before slicing, if you can wait that long!