I tried another recipe from the Whole Foods Diet Cookbook the other night and I was again pleased!  I’ve only made two recipes from it, this and the Tilapia and Spinach Bake with Anchovies and Red Cream Sauce.  My remarks so far are that both dishes are surprisingly rich and flavorful!  When you think of a whole foods diet, some might imagine a bland, boring meal lacking flavor, and therefore unsatisfying.  So far, Ivy Larson has proven that wrong with her recipes.  You can eat a healthy, whole food diet and not sacrifice flavor and a content tummy.

What I liked best about this recipe:

It’s like a manicotti, only the pasta has been swapped with a vegetable.  The taste and texture of the roasted eggplant makes you not even miss the pasta.

The filling is mostly tofu, with a little ricotta cheese, rather than ALL cheese.  It is just as rich and creamy as all cheese, though.  The Parmesan-Romano blend adds enough cheesy flavor to ensure the tofu is not bland.

The walnuts are a nice surprise!  It’s not an overwhelming amount, but just enough of a crunch to break up the monotony.

The recipe calls for two medium eggplants and makes four servings.  Since it was just Ricky and I, I only used one eggplant (but kept the full amounts for the filling!!).

You need:

• EVOO cooking spray
• 2 medium eggplants 
• Sea salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. EVOO plus some for brushing
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup low fat ricotta
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano blend, divided
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 7 oz. extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled
• 2 cups marinara sauce

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Cut each end of the eggplant off, then cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices and arrange on the baking sheet.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Roast for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Lower the temperature of the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large skillet, add the onion, garlic and shallots and saute until the onion is soft, about 4-5 mins.

Stir in the nutmeg, basil, and salt and set the mixture aside.

In a large bowl, mix the egg, ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, wheat germ, walnuts and tofu.  

Add the cooked onion mixture and mix well.

Add about 3 tbsp. of the mixture to the small end of each eggplant slice and roll it up.  The eggplant should be nice and pliable from the roasting.  Place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.

Pour the marinara over the rolls and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

This is great comfort food, and is something all you vegetarians and health-conscious eaters can enjoy and feel good about.  

A quick word on wheat germ since some of you may have never used it. This was the first time I did. Wheat germ is the most nutritious part of the wheat kernel, being the embryo of the plant.  When wheat grain is refined into flour, the kernel is removed, so you’re not getting all those nutrients.  The wheat germ is packed with B vitamins, fiber, folic acid, essential fatty acids, and more.  It will add a slight nutty flavor, and you can sneak it into just about anything: cereal, yogurt, protein shakes, casseroles, sauces, baked goods, ground meat, vegetables, etc.  Keep it refrigerated because the oils in it can cause it to go rancid.  I bought it for this recipe, and I’m looking forward to incorporating it into many things!