The Best Non-Pasta Pasta Dish

My husband could eat pasta every night of the week, I mean, who doesn't love pasta? But eating pasta multiple times a week is not ideal, especially if your are stuck on regular white pasta. If pasta is your food of choice, try whole wheat pasta, as it contains three important parts of the grain: the bran (outer layer), the germ (innermost area), and the endosperm (starchy area in between). White pasta is processed and only contains the starchy endosperm area, and the bran and germ are discarded. Whole wheat pasta, or bread for that matter, not only has high fiber, but it also contains many essential vitamins and minerals.


However, I like to be crafty and try recipes that "taste" like pasta, but are not made with pasta. For instance, Egg Plan/Zucchini Parmesan. This is by far one of our favourite recipes that even the sceptics will love. 


1 large eggplant/Zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces  
2 eggs, beaten with a fork 
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs  
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (25-ounce) jar pasta sauce 
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese


Preheat oven with a baking sheet inside to 375°F. Coat eggplant slices with beaten egg, then bread with panko crumbs. Spread oil on hot baking sheet and place eggplant slices on it in a single layer. Bake 15 minutes, flip and bake another 10 minutes . 

Increase oven temperature to 475°F. In an 8 x 10-inch oven proof dish, layer pasta sauce, then eggplant, and top with cheeses. Repeat, finishing with cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and turns golden in spots, about 15 minutes.

I like to make this dish with Quinoa, as it adds a whole protein to the meal. Quinoa is a superfood that contains a perfect balance of all eight amino acids, which makes it easy to digest. It is packed with protein and is also gluten free. Quinoa is not only rich in protein, but it also contains fiber, minerals and vitamins. Such vitamins and minerals include, riboflavin, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, folic acid and beta carotene. Get more information at http://quinoa365.com/whyquinoa.html.

 Test out this recipe and see what you think. You can buy quinoa in most Zehrs stores, in the organic section. 

Thanks for reading!