Losing weight after pregnancy can be difficult in the cooler months, as cravings for comfort food tend to spike during cold weather and darker days.
The good news is that you can still eat hearty comfort foods like stews, casseroles and soups, without having a calorie blow out – just be sure to include lots of vegetable-based bakes like this one in your healthy eating plan.
A good source of fibre and antioxidants, eggplants are low in calories and versatile. Great in stir fries, bakes and casseroles, eggplants are a great option to include in your diet while trying to lose weight.
This rich, warming recipe can be served as a vegetarian main or as a side dish, and can adapted to suit different tastes – just interchange your favourite, seasonal veges into the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 3 x tablespoons of olive oil
- 3 x medium – large eggplants
- 4 x potatoes, peeled
- 1 x 700 gram bottle of tomato passata
- 4 x tablespoons of grated parmesan
- 2 x garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1 x small handful of basil leaves
- 1 x spray of olive oil cooking spray
- Cracked pepper
Optional Extras:
- Substitute the potato for sweet potato
- Add layers of sliced zucchini if preferred
- Garnish with oregano instead of basil
- Cans of diced tomatoes can be used instead of passata
Method:
- Heat the oven to 180-200 degrees Celsius.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large fry pan and fry crushed garlic lightly for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the passata, oregano and cracked pepper to the garlic and lightly simmer for 5 minutes, then set aside.
- Slice eggplant and potatoes length ways into large pieces with a medium width.
- Add 2 x tablespoons of oil to a large skillet or frypan and lightly fry the potato and eggplant in batches. Make sure both sides are browned but not quite cooked through.
- Once all the vegetables have been lightly fried, spray a large baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
- Arrange a layer of eggplant on the bottom of the dish, then a layer of potato.
- Between each layer spoon a generous amount of passata, garlic and oregano mixture over the top, so that the vegetables are covered.
- Repeat this process until you reach the top of the baking dish, leaving a layer of eggplant on top, with a generous covering of passata mixture.
- Heat in oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and spoon grated parmesan over the top.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.
Serves: 4. Calories per serve: 353.
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