Recipe by Hopes Gardens.com
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Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 jar Hopes Garden Basil Pesto
- 1 Eggplant, sliced into ½ inch slices
- Fresh tomato slices
- Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Flip and continue another 10 minutes. Slice the fresh tomatoes and grate the mozzarella cheese. When the eggplant is done, place in a baking dish. Layer eggplant, tomatoes and cheese several times. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. Drop spoonfuls of Hope’s Garden Basil Peton on top. Cook for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Comment from Catherine Carrigan:
Every Saturday during the summer, I visit our local farmer’s market. This gets me inspired to cook for my family during the week and helps me plan around the fresh local produce.
One of the booths at our market sells fresh homemade pesto.
What’s especially healthy about this recipe:
- Eggplant is brain food. Eggplant contains nasunin, a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been found to protect the lipids (fats) in brain cell membranes.
- The lycopene in tomatoes has been extensively studied for its free-radical fighting benefits.
- Many traditional versions of eggplant parmesan call for frying the vegetables. You can enjoy this healthier version without the cancer-causing drawbacks of frying.