Are you looking for a healthy quick easy casserole? How about one that has only 254 calories but packed with 12 g of protein and 14 g of fiber per serving? One with only 188 mg of sodium and 6 g of fat, no cholesterol and less than a gram of saturated fat? How about one with 84% of the Daily Value for Vitamin A, 39% for Vitamin C, 44% for folic acid and 127% for Vitamin K and 26% for Iron (to name a few of the nutrients)? Look no further!
There is something about having a layered baked entree fresh out of the oven. It gives the impression, to myself (yeah, weird) or company, that a lot of effort went into this. Of course you can put a lot of effort into, say soup, but the layers of different foods in a easy casserole make it more enjoyable for some reason. This is probably because of the effort that a good lasagna takes. So variations on this theme can conjure up the same psychological food comfort.
There is a few minutes of prep to do before throwing it in the oven. But it still is quick and easy. The ingredients I chose are what make it a healthy casserole. A low calorie and low starch vegetable are my first choice for the major ingredients. That way if you eat half the dish, no harm done (and lots of good done!). A healthy casserole is a dish you can feel confident you are nourishing your body in the most optimal way.
This dish includes a no salt marinara. Many bottled varieties include tons of sodium and fat. Look for no salt varieties. I like Trader Joe’s Organic no salt, low fat Marinara
My recipe for a healthy quick easy casserole (aka layered eggplant)
Main ingredients
1 large eggplant, peeled and thinly length-wise in inch thick slices
onion, 1 medium, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz raw mushrooms, sliced (or run through a food processor for the mushroom haters
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 cup low sodium, low fat marinara sauce
2 packed cups raw greens (beet, chard, spinach, kale, collards), chopped including small stalks
Seasonings/flavoring
2 tbl pine nuts, toasted
1 tbl Italian seasoning
1 tsp coriander seed, crushed
2 tsp sesame seeds, ground
2 tsp sun-dried tomatoes, ground
1 tbl no salt added vegetable broth powder
Preheat oven to 375. Steam eggplant slices for 10 minutes until flexible in steamer basket. Alternatively, you could bake it on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. Steam fry (throw vegetables in heated pan with a little water) garlic, onion, carrots and mushrooms until mushrooms are cooked and onion is translucent, adding more water if necessary. Add chickpeas, 1/2 cup of the marinara and greens to pan. Sprinkle in rest of ingredients. Spread 1/4 to 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on bottom of 8×8 casserole dish. Lay slices of eggplant in single layer on bottom. Pour vegetable mixture on top. Top with remaining eggplant. Spread remaining marinara on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.
You could also top with a little non-dairy grated topping (soy, almond, seed) or fat-free cheese. Stay away from full fat dairy. No need to start a cheese-addiction or put more padding on your belly. If you are weaning yourself, try doing half cheese and half non-dairy or fat free. But really, there is so much flavor in this dish, what’s the need?
Calories: 254
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
Sodium 188 mg
Carbohydrate: 42 g
Fiber: 14 g
Protein: 12 g
