Healthy Italian Classic Low-Carb Eggplant Lasagna
Low Carb, High Flavor: Eggplant Lasagna for Health-Conscious Foodies
6 Servings
Yield:
Preparation & Cooking Time:
90min
Author:
Stefan
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FOOD FACT
A cup (82 grams) of raw eggplant is packed with 3 grams of fiber and contains only 20 calories. Fibers move slowly through the digestive tract, promoting fullness and satiety and reducing calorie intake. Additionally, eggplants are high in antioxidants, which help prevent various chronic diseases, like heart diseases and cancer. Eggplants are extremely versatile and can be easily incorporated into your diet, as you will discover now.
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the eggplants lengthwise into around 5mm thick slices. Sprinkle salt onto the slices and set them aside for around 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, wash off the salt and gently squeeze out any additional water from the eggplants.
Heat a frying pan with some oil.
Stir-fry the eggplant slices until they are nicely browned on both sides. Season them with some pepper towards the end of the frying process for added flavor.
Tomato sauce
Heat your pan and add some oil to it.
Add the chopped onion and garlic once the oil is hot enough. Make sure the onion and garlic don't burn.
Add the Quorn and stir-fry everything for a few minutes.
After this, add the tomato paste and keek. Stir-fry everything for another minute or two, and then add the red wine.
Add the canned tomatoes and keep stirring until it starts to cook. Then, reduce the heat and let it only slightly simmer.
Once the sauce has become thick enough, add salt, pepper, the herb mix, and the sundried tomatoes.
White sauce
Heat a small pan and add butter to it. Wait until the butter is completely melted.
Add flour and mix everything until you get a firm mass.
Pour in the milk and whisk the mixture until the sauce cooks.
Keep whisking until the sauce has a consistency similar to that of thick cream.
Turn off the heat, strain the sauce through a sieve, and add some salt and pepper to taste.
Lasagne
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Add the stir-fried eggplants and Quorn sauce in layers into a casserole dish.
Add the white sauce and parmesan cheese on top of it.
Bake the lasagne for 45-60 minutes or until the top is nicely browned.
Notes
I recommend salting cut eggplants before frying and preparing sauces to save some time.
I suggest adding a few tablespoons of white sauce between each layer for extra flavor.
When making the tomato sauce, use a wine you'd drink with friends. Avoid cheap cooking wine as it negatively impacts taste.
You can add bell peppers or Chipotle to your tomato sauce for extra flavor.
You can enhance the flavor of the white sauce by adding some Italian herbs.
You can also add thick cream to the white sauce, but I usually skip it due to its high-calorie content.
If you're not a fan of Quorn, you can also use minced beef, pork, or chicken. I try to reduce my meat intake, so I often use Quorn and similar meat replacements. Quorn is a great option because it's relatively versatile and has a texture similar to meat.
The lasagna can be easily prepared on weekends and reheated for lunch or dinner. You can also freeze it.
