My patients are always bringing me presents. It’s quite possibly the best part of my job. Especially in the summer, when tomatoes practically bursting off the vines and there’s more basil than they know what to do with!
Last week a dear patient brought me the most beautiful eggplant. I am amazed every time I see eggplant, because that deep, majestic purple! Seriously, God is amazing! You can’t genetically modify or artificially enhance these things. I wish I had taken a picture to share with you before I sliced it up for eatin’!
Speaking of… I wanted to use this eggplant for something special. I had a few zucchini on hand, plus a container of this yummy TJ’s grecian-style eggplant w/ tomatoes and onions that I wanted to use up. I decided to make a veggie lasagna, using the zucchini in place of noodles, and the TJ’s filling as the “sauce,” plus a few cans of white beans, pesto (my recipe for lemon pesto is here!) and ricotta cheese.
This lasagna was delicious! It was savory, creamy, and filling without feeling like you’re carb-loading for a marathon. The zucchini slices make the perfect noodles zoodles!
And of course I am bringing my patient a slice so she can reap the benefits of her labor!
Recipe below. Enjoy!
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/8″ thick discs
- 4 ripened on-the-vine tomatoes, sliced thinly
- 1/4 cup (eyeball it) EVOO
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 red onion, minced
- greek seasoning (optional)
- 4 zucchini, sliced into long strips about 1/8″ thick
- TJ’s can of eggplant, tomatoes, & onions
- 1 can kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup chopped artichokes
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1 tbsp each lemon juice
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 12 oz. carton ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup prepared pesto (make my lemon pesto! https://clairetastes.com/farro-caprese-salad-w-lemon-pesto-vinaigrette/)
- 2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 slices provolone cheese
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 1/3 cup feta cheese
- Preheat oven to 400 deg.
- On a large silpat-lined cookie sheet, place eggplant slices in rows so they are not touching. Sprinkle with salt, top, with red onion, then drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with additional greek seasoning if desired.
- On another cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray, layer tomato slices (they can overlap), then sprinkle with salt.
- Cook eggplant and tomatoes at 400 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Prepare the lasagna “sauce” by mixing the TJ’s can of eggplant, tomatoes, and onions, zucchini noodles, kalamata olives, artichokes, and roasted red peppers. Add a squirt each (about 1 tbsp) of lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and minced garlic. Stir in 1 tsp greek seasoning (optional).
- Spray bottom of casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of zucchini strips (as you would with lasagna noodles) on bottom of dish. Top with a few dollops of ricotta/pesto mixture, then top with about 1/3 of the “sauce” and 1 can of white beans.
- Top with the shredded provolone (about 3 slices) and a handful of spinach.
- Next, layer roasted tomatoes, followed by eggplant and red onions.
- Add a few more dollops of ricotta/pesto, then another 1/3 of the sauce.
- Top with another handful of spinach and other can of white beans.
- Layer remaining zucchini strips and ricotta/pesto, followed by remaining sauce. Top with feta.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 min, then 15 min uncovered until bubbly.
- **(Can be made 24 hrs in advance and stored in refrigerator until ready to bake!)
Happy Tuesday!
Claire Tastes 
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