Caregiver Recipes: Pasta-Free Eggplant Lasagna

By Jamie Shapiro | November 27, 2015 | Comments Off on Caregiver Recipes: Pasta-Free Eggplant Lasagna

Caregiver in Northbrook IL

Being a caregiver for your elderly loved ones while also being a parent and a partner means that you have to not only think about the types of foods that you can make that will serve both sets of the family so you can maximize your time, but also foods that they will love and that will give them the nutrition that they need to stay strong and healthy. This can be a major challenge, but this recipe fits the bill. A pasta-free version of the crowd-favorite dinner of lasagna, this dinner uses eggplant to create the impression of noodles, both eliminating the refined carbs and calories of the pasta, and adding in extra vegetables for more fiber and vitamins.

 

What You Will Need

·        2 large peeled eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips

·        Salt

·        Pepper

·        2 tablespoons of olive oil

·        1 1/2 pounds of ground sirloin

·        2 onions, chopped well

·        3 cloves of garlic, chopped well

·        1 red pepper, chopped

·        16 ounces of packaged sliced mushrooms

·        1 teaspoon of fennel seed

·        2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning

·        1 10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach

·        1 cup of red wine

·        1 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes

·        1 28 ounce can of tomato sauce

·        2 cups of low fat ricotta cheese

·        1/2 of a cup of parmesan cheese

·        3 cups of shredded lowfat mozzarella cheese

·        3 green onions, finely chopped

·        2 eggs

·        A heavy bottomed skillet

·        A small bowl

·        A cooling rack

·        Tin foil

·        A glass bottomed pan 9 x 13 inches

 

What to Do

·        Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

·        Lightly spray the cookie sheet with the olive oil spray

·        Arrange the eggplant slices on the cookie sheet with a small amount of space between them

·        Season the eggplant slices with pepper and salt

·        Place the eggplant slices into the oven

·        Cook for 5 minutes

·        Flip the eggplants over on the other side

·        Cook for an additional 5 minutes

·        Lower the temperature to 375 degrees

·        Place the heavy bottomed skillet on medium heat and add a small amount of olive oil

·        Add the sirloin and brown the meat, garlic and onion together for five minutes

·        Add the mushrooms and red pepper

·        Continue cooking for another five minutes, until the peppers are soft to the touch and bendable

·        Add the tomato sauce, spinach, tomatoes, win and spices

·        Lower the heat to simmering

·        Cook for an additional 10 minutes

·        In a small bowl, blend the egg, ricotta and green onions together

·        Spread a third of the meat sauce in the bottom of the glass pan

·        Add a layer of 1/2  of the eggplant slices

·        Add a layer of the three cheeses

·        Start the layering process over again, continuing until adding a last layer of sauce and mozzarella and parmesan on top of it.

·        Cover the entire lasagna with foil and place in the oven

·        Cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour

·        Carefully take the lasagna out of the oven and remove the foil

·        Continue to bake until the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes

·        Remove from the oven and allow to sit on a cooling rack for 10 minutes

·        Slice and serve

 

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Northbrook, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

 

Jamie Shapiro
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