Hi, my name is Denise, and I am an eggplant junkie, Part 1 - Eggplant parmesan with a twist..

My eggplant parmesan is awesome. It just is. I have a few variations on it with regard to cheese and sauce, but the core recipe is essentially the same. The twist is that it's also pretty good for you.

I used to make the eggplant breaded. This is delicious, and can still be healthy if done correctly. (Dip sliced eggplant in water - doesn't stick as well but less calories than egg - and then in Italian breadcrumbs. Pan fry with non-stick spray or a VERY LIGHT coating of olive oil, and apply garlic salt generously, as well as other seasonings of choice - oregano, basil, etc.)

I have come to realize two things since this time: 1. It doesn't need to be breaded to be awesome, and 2. Tofu has a similar texture to ricotta cheese and takes on the flavor of whatever you put in it. From these discoveries comes my healthier version of eggplant parmesan.

Recipe:

Cut one large fancy eggplant into circular pieces. I will often halve or quarter them to fit more into the pan at one time.

Coat a frying pan with a light coating of olive oil or nonstick spray. Olive oil is healthier, but don't forget to go light because it still has a LOT of calories (120 per tbsp). Place one layer of eggplant slices in the pan. Season with garlic salt, basil and cayenne (or your own blend of preferred seasonings). Wait for one side to get soft, flip and wait for the other side to get soft. Repeat until the whole eggplant has been cooked this way, in the meantime pre-heating your oven or toaster oven to 350-375. (Note: This takes awhile. I tend to speed up the process by occasionally throwing a little bit of water into the pan to steam the eggplant.)

While you are waiting for your eggplant to get soft (I'm sure Pam would have an inappropriate comment here), mash up about one serving of tofu until the texture reminds you of ricotta cheese. Blend garlic powder and herbs generously with the mashed tofu. (Basil, oregano, rosemary are a few good ones. I usually use one, and it varies, but basil is the current favorite. You should smell the mixture and make sure it reeks slightly of garlic and herb. Tofu is pretty flavorless on its own. I will also usually slice a few garlic stuffed olives into tiny pieces to distribute in the final mixture.

Take out a small baking dish (mine is deep and round like a cereal bowl) and start the layering process. The bottom will have a layer of your pasta sauce of choice (I like Hunts in the can myself - cheap date), then a layer of eggplant. Next layer about 1/3 to half of the tofu mixture and a little cheese (my favorite is cheddar, but you can go with the more traditional Italian cheeses if you prefer). Continue layering in this fashion. The top three layers should be as follows: eggplant, sauce, cheese. The top layer of cheese should have more cheese, while the lower layers should use fairly little (but contain the tofu "fake cheese"). Sprinkle some garlic salt on the top layer of cheese.

Cover with foil and bake about 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes I will remove the foil and broil for 5 minutes to make the top layer of cheese perfect.

Serves 2 without a side of pasta, 3 or 4 with a side of pasta.