Eggplant Roll Ups - Healthy Italian

I'm sure that I'm not the first one to do this, but it just came to me when I was thinking about lasagna and not wanting to eat all of those calories. The end result was so delicious, and I think I'll continue to play with this idea and all the possible fillings. For example, when I made it this time, I added gluten-free pasta shells to the filling. I wasn't too hip on that, and it didn't need them at all. You could also add ground turkey to the filling. That would be so yummy! I might have to try that next.

To start you will need the following:
1 large eggplant
2 or 3 large zucchini
1 can of small artichoke hearts
2 cans of diced tomatoes (I like the ones with garlic & basil)
1 cup of good low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup of grated parmesan
1 cup of cooked & drained shells (optional)
1 pkg. of browned turkey meat (optional also, but do one or the other. not both optionals.)
Italian seasoning
handfull of fresh basil
salt & pepper
extra virgin good stuff

Start by slicing 1/4" long strips of both the eggplant and the zucchini. Place the eggplant on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and drizzle with evoo (sorry Ray Ray, but it's so much easier to type), and a little salt and pepper. Roast in a 400º oven for about 15 - 20 minutes, watching carefully. You want the brown edges, but you don't want them falling apart.

Next start pan searing your zucchini in a little bit of olive oil over medium high heat. Try to get brown edges, but not cooked all the way through so that you can still work with them and they don't fall apart. Set them aside to cool as you go.

Once you have your strips of veggies set aside, you can make your filling. Combine your cottage cheese, half of your parmesan, a handful of roughly chopped basil, 1 can of tomatoes - drained, 1 canof baby artichokes - drained and diced, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper to taste. You can also add one of the optionals here too.

Now it's time to start assymbling the rolls!

Place 1 eggplant slice on your work surface.

Add 2 slices of the zucchini on top. If there are any holes in your eggplant, that's okay. Just cover them with the zucchini.

Next, place a little bit of the mixture at one end of the veggies and start rolling them up!

You can start placing them side by side down a casserole dish.

Oh - a good tip to keep the rolls from sticking, is to spread a little bit of tomato sauce along the bottom of the dish. Keep lining them up until your dish is full.

Pour over them the remaining can of tomatoes, with all it's juices. Top with the cheese and bake at 350º for 30 - 45 minutes, or until golden & bubbly.

Let me know what you think. Enjoy!!