From your Bariatric Nutrition Team

It’s summer and that means it’s time to lighten up a comfort food favorite. This grilled version of eggplant rollatini is a great summer comfort meal. Grilling the eggplant creates a perfect vessel for the cheesy filling. With its light smoky taste, you won’t be sacrificing any flavor. The only thing missing from this version is extra calories from fat and refined carbohydrates. Plus, this delicious grilled version will save you lots of time in the kitchen…no dredging the eggplant in flour or breadcrumbs and no frying.

Ingredients:

  • 1 or 2 long eggplants (enough to yield 8 – ½” slices, peeled or unpeeled- whichever you prefer)
  • 1 – 15 oz. container part skim ricotta cheese
  • 4 oz. part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 Tbsp. grated parmesan, Romano, or Locatelli cheese
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley and/or basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive oil spray
  • Homemade marinara sauce or a 24 oz. jar of your favorite marinara or tomato sauce

(Makes 4 servings)

 Directions:

  1. Pre-heat grill on medium/high and pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Lay the eggplant slices out on a sheet pan and spray both sides with the olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Cook the eggplant on the grill about 3 minutes per side or until they have light grill marks. Let the eggplant cool enough to handle.
  4. In the meantime, in a medium bowl combine the ricotta, parmesan and parsley or basil and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Coat the bottom of a medium casserole dish with about a cup or so of marinara.
  6. On each slice of eggplant spread approx. 1 Tbsp. of the cheese mixture and roll the eggplant slices from the short end.
  7. Place the rolled eggplant on top of the marinara in casserole dish, then drizzle a little more of the tomato sauce on top of each eggplant and sprinkle the mozzarella on top.
  8. Cover with aluminum foil and cook the eggplant on 350°F for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes or until the mozzarella melts.

 

Nutrition Information for 2 pieces of eggplant with sauce:  343 calories; 27g protein; 28g carbs; 16g fat