Vegeterian Eggplant Lasagna

Emi's Eggplant Lasagna recipe

Ingredients :
eggplant / sliced thinly
eggs
flour
spinach leaves
salt / pepper
cheese (can be mozzarella, brie or feta - something that melts!)

preparation :
boil the spinach leaves and put them aside -

slice the egg plant into thin slices 

sprinkle them in salt and pepper

gently dip them in a mix of beaten eggs and flour 

fry them in a oily heated up frying pan


dispose them side by side  in a dish that goes in the oven or microwave

add the spinach leaves on top of the eggplant slices - you can chop it or tear it with your fingers

sprinkle shredded or sliced cheese on top

add a second row of eggplant, spinach, cheese

you can sprinkle a bit of pepper on top to add a zing to it or a zest of lemon juice

put that in the oven 350 for 5-7 minutes or what it'll take to just to melt and golden the cheese. 







or 2 in the microwave to melt the cheese

Take out and serve hot --- with a crispy cucumber/radish/tomato salad or baby carrots

Can also be served on toasted whole wheat bread or crackers - could serve as entré or appetizer in smaller portions or full meal. Excellent to prepare the evening for the next day's lunch.

Stuffed Filo sheets - Emi style easy recipe

This is a little something I put together (I guess you can take that in the literal sense of the term) a couple weeks ago when I tried and succeeded for the first time in my life to eat healthier.

Ingredients
3 Filo sheets
Olive oil (or melted butter, margarine or any sort of oil you have - the healthier choice you can have around is of course preferred - I used grape seed oil and it worked wonderful)
Handful of spinach leaves
Feta cheese (alternative choice : Brie or mozzarella if you want it creamier or chewier or mix both!)

Optional Ingredients
Handful of mushrooms
Shredded cabbage/marinated 
Salami (Genoa or Mortadelle highly recommended)
Bell peppers
Chopped Onions 
(what ever floats your boat! and that can be cooked in an oven)

Process

1 - Put that handful of spinach leaves in a bit of boiling water to soften them up. (Trust me on this, I have done it fresh and my Filo sheets were cut open when I tried to fold the package)

2 - Lay your first Filo sheet on a clean flat surface (kitchen counter is ideal) brush over some oil, lay your second Filo sheet, brush over oil, and repeat one last time.

3 - Lay your flattest element here (salami, thin slices of Brie if you chose this)

4 - Spread your lightly boiled spinach leaves

5 - Sprinkle your feta / chopped onions / chopped bell peppers

 

 6 - Fold the 2 longest sides inwards

7 - Fold the smallest outside edges 

8 - Roll from one side to the other to close the "pinata" 

  9 - You can unfold the last edge to make a complete roll and do brush over a bit of oil to make it gold and crispy in the oven. I suggest you especially brush the outside edges.

10 - Spray some PAM or brush some oil on the bottom of a plate put this on and in the oven. 

350F for 30 minutes

Served with oven baked mushrooms and baby cut crunchy carrots. I would say this would serve 2 people or 2 meals. Trust me, after half - you'll feel full! Crunchy outside, chewy inside. 

For a completely vegetarian alternative (as I normally do them) same as above, just don't put any meat! If you do put mushrooms inside, please do boil and lightly sauté them beforehand! (May it be fresh or canned, it's preferable to boil and fry before to make sure they are well cooked).

Fair warning : the inside might be really hot if you eat this right away out of the oven so be careful. 

Bon appétit!