Today's Praise: Deep Chocloate VitaTops

Today's Recipe: Eggplant Parmigiana

So let me start with these VitaTop things. I've seen these talked about on several forums I read, and I've even know people who have recommended them. But,until right now (I am about halfway through it), I hadn't actually tried one myself. Um three words: one point brownie! This thing is awesome. Cakey with chocolate chips, I heated it up in the toaster oven and it tasts like a warm brownie...it will definitely appease any chocolate craving (and would probably go great topped with some ICE CREAM!). It even packs 6g of fiber, which now that I think about it will probably make me sh*t my brains out, but that's for a later report...and no High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), which you will soon find out I think is the devil. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Apparently I'm a movie critic now. Holy crap (no puns now!) that thing was filling!

I am still working in this other office but am happy to report that it feels more like home down here...because its snowing. In Denver. Yep. In October! Anyway, last weekend I made a big tray of eggplant parm using an eggplant I got in my biweekly box of organic produce that gets dropped off at my door (more on that in future posts). The recipe below, adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe, is my version of this wonderfully filling lighter version of the italian delicacy.

Figure Friendly Eggplant Parm
1 medium raw eggplant, peeled
2/3 cup seasoned italian breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 large egg whites
1-1/2 to 2 cups tomato sauce*
2 T Grated Parmesan
1-1/3 cupes shredded part skim/2% Mozzarella cheese

So you first should understand that I'm italian and I DO NOT MEASURE. This is a no no in Weight Watchers land, but I can estimate well enough to adjust recipes and find out nutritional info.

Anyway....peel and slice the eggplant LONGWAYS into very thin slices. I used my mandolin and sliced them probably 1/4 inch thick. Beat the egg whites until slightly frothy in one plate. Put bread crumbs and garlic powder (to taste) on another plate. Do your dredging (egg first, then bread crumb). Put on a sheet tray sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes on each side or until crispy.

Get a 13x9x2 casserole dish and spray with cooking spray. Put a little sauce in the bottom and spread around. Take half of cooked eggplant and layer. Pour on some sauce (you judge how saucy you want it), then put on 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat with eggplant, then sauce, then cheese to cover the top and sprinkle with Parm. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese melts.

Makes 8 servings (3 points a piece).

Serve with a nice salad and you got a meal!

*You can use your favorite jarred sauce or homemade sauce. I make homemade sauce regularly and used that. When I feel that I'm ready to share that secret sauce with the world, I might just put it on here ;)

This will be my dinner tonight along with a salad of mixed greens, sunflower seeds, broken up Latitude 34 crisps (so many uses!) and some fat free dressing. Mmm.