244 Cals 19 Protein 25 Carbs 9 Fats
PREP TIME:
15 mins
COOK TIME:
30 mins
TOTAL TIME:
45 mins
YIELD:4 SERVINGS
COURSE:Dinner
CUISINE:American
A fun, easy twist on eggplant parmesan – these baked eggplant “boats” are hollowed out and stuffed with chicken sausage, tomato sauce and mozzarella.
INGREDIENTS
2 medium, 15 oz each white eggplants, stems trimmed off and halved lengthwise
3 links, 8.4 oz sweet Italian chicken sausage, casings removed (I love Premio)
1/2 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/3 cups crushed tomatoes
5 basil leaves, chopped (plus more for garnish)
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
4 teaspoons grated Pecorino Romano
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Hollow out the flesh of the eggplant to create a boat using a melon baller or small knife, leaving a 1/2-inch of the skin all around to create a shell. Roughly chop the scooped out eggplant flesh.
Drop the eggplant into the boiling water and cook 3 minutes (poking it with a spoon so they stay submerged). Remove with a slotted spoon and set them on paper towels on the counter.
Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up while it cooks into smaller pieces. Add the onions and garlic and cook on a medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add 1 cup chopped eggplant and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil.
Pour 1/3 cup of crushed tomatoes on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish and place the eggplant boats on top. Season the eggplant with salt and divide the sausage and sauce evenly among the 4 eggplant boats.
Top each with 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 teaspoon each of Pecorino Romano cheese. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes until cheese is melted and eggplant is cooked through.
Serving: 1half, Calories: 244kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 678mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 3gBlue Smart Points:7Points +:4