Deconstructed Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is my absolute favorite thing to eat and ultimate comfort food, but I wanted to try it a new way without frying the cutlets. So I deconstructed it, which means that you use the same ingredients called for in a recipe but assemble it differently. In this recipe, I roasted the eggplant first, then mixed it together with the rest of the ingredients commonly found in a good eggplant parmesan. I used this more as a side dish than an entire meal and served it with linguine (for the kids) and a garden tossed salad (for me!). YUM! 

Deconstructed Roasted Eggplant Parmesan
1 Large Eggplant, rinsed and cut into chunks (about 10 cups chopped)
4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 c. Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 c. Marinara Sauce (homemade or store bought)
1/2 c. Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs


Directions:
1. Add the eggplant, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix together. 
2. Place mixture on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes; turning halfway. 
3. Remove from the oven and add roasted eggplant mixture back to the bowl. 
4. Add in 3/4 c. of the cheese, sauce and breadcrumbs and mix well. 
5. Place mixture in an oven safe baking dish, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. 
6. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling. Serves 6. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 264, Carbs 19.4g, Fat 16.9g, Protein 12.3g, Fiber 5.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!