Healthy Eggplant Parmesan (And a Weeknight Made Easy Trick!)

My commute can be anywhere from an hour and a half to three hours on bad traffic days, so I need to make many of my dinners (or at least parts of them) in advance, so I don't head straight for the ice cream when I walk in the door. (Only sometimes.) 

This past weekend, I made a giant pot of tomato sauce from this Martha Stewart recipe. I think I have a new go to! (I used crushed tomatoes instead of whole and also threw in some crushed red pepper flakes and fresh basil.) I used the sauce as my "base," and planned my meals for the week around it: spaghetti, chicken meatballs, and eggplant parm.

It's funny-- I'm not a fan of the meat versions of some dishes (like chicken parm), but I love their veggie equivalents! They're lighter, more calorie friendly, and can last longer in the fridge or freezer.

I washed and sliced my eggplant, placed the slices on an oiled (sprayed with Pam) cookie sheet and then sprinkled the slices with Kosher salt and pepper. I threw the entire sheet into the fridge for about 2 hours. This helps to get some of the water out of the eggplant so they eventually absorb more of the sauce and don't ruin the breadcrumb coating.

Once I blotted the eggplant slices with a paper towel, I set up my "dipping" station and went to work. (That's what my kitchen really looks like. I want you to think it looks like this.) Bowl 1: Whisk two eggs together with one Tbsp of water; Bowl 2: combine 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and some salt. Dip each slice in the egg mixture, then immediately into the bread crumb mixture.  

Place the breaded slices on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 25 minutes. When the eggplants are nice and crispy, flip and give them about 5 more minutes. (I forgot to take a photo, but even I was impressed with how pretty they were!)

(At this point, I let mine cool and put them in the fridge, but you can just continue with adding sauce and cheese.) When I came home tonight, I took them out of the fridge, put them in a pan and into the toaster for about 10 minutes so they got crispy again (they were a bit sorry from the fridge), then covered the hot eggplant with my sauce and mozzarella cheese and popped back in the toaster for about 10 minutes. Dinner was on the table in 20 minutes, and I was saved from eating my weight in bad-for-me-food. Perfect.

Game On Anne Burrell (Pommes Chef Anne)

I saw this recipe for fancy potatoes (Pommes Chef Anne) a few seasons ago on Worst Chefs in America. I love that show, because it brings me back to basics and I really learn a lot! I had a few Russet potatoes I needed to use and a lot of time on a Sunday night, so decided to try it. Interesting presentation, but not so much flavor. Here's what to do:

Slice potatoes super thin on a mandoline.

Oil the bottom of a heavy skillet with olive oil. This is not a low fat dish. Use a lot. (See my gleaming pan?) Place one potato slice in the center and build out in a circular layer with the other potato slices. Make this layer pretty, because you flip the pan and the bottom becomes the top. After one layer is done, add parmesan cheese and more oil.

Build out about 3-4 layers, using cheese and oil to top each layer. When you're done, put the pan in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes. (If you're using a pan with a rubber handle, remember to wrap it in aluminum foil first!)

After 25 minutes, flip the potato cake onto a cookie sheet and bake for another 20 minutes. Slice and serve! Learn from my experience, though and top with yummy things like bacon, cheese, scallions and sour cream.