Eggplant Parm

I made this for the first time a few weeks ago when my husband was traveling because he doesn't love eggplant so I figured I'd make it for Bryce and I and my mom was visiting. Bryce loved it and called it "pizza" so that was a win! So if you have toddlers hopefully they will like it too!

I absolutely LOVE eggplant! The subtle sweetness of eggplant brings such good flavor to dishes. Not to mention the gut health benefits of eggplant - it's a great source of fiber, which supports bowel regularity and feeds beneficial gut bacteria. It's also rich in antioxidants and has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients (opt for organic when possible):

• 1 large eggplant or 2 small eggplants

• 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 c marinara sauce - I like the brand Bionaturae

• 1 c spinach

• ½ c mozzarella cheese - look for grass fed and organic

• ¼ c basil

• Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

• sea salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Rinse, dry, and cut eggplant into thick rounds.

• Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Lay eggplant on tray. Lightly coat with olive oil or avocado oil and season with salt on both sides.

• Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until tender, flipping the rounds half way through.

• Spread a thin layer of sauce into an 8x8 inch baking dish. Top with half of the eggplant.

• Add all of the spinach. Top with remaining eggplant, followed by the rest of the sauce and then cheese.

• Cover dish with foil and bake for about 20 minutes or until eggplant is tender and sauce is bubbly.

• Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes.

• Broil for another 2-5 mins so the cheese gets slightly golden brown.

• Top with torn basil leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Enjoy!

*recipe adapted from Melissa Wood Health