Going Veggie

On last week's menu of five homemade dinners, four of them were completely vegetarian, without us even intending to shoot for that many. Maybe it was because veggies are getting cheaper as summer approaches. Or maybe it was because with warmer weather comes an appetite for fresher, healthier meals. Whatever the reason, it was a yummy week of food: vegetarian gumbo-style chili with brown rice, eggplant-almond enchiladas, spinach-mushroom-garlic grilled pizzas, and regular-old whole-wheat spaghetti with marinara and salad. Our one meat meal was a whole grilled chicken served over tacos with an avocado-tomatillo salsa. Yum!

One of our standard vegetarian dishes is, of course, Eggplant Parmesan. Eric has recently perfected this dish to lip-smacking goodness, all with the help of his T-Fal Emeril deep fryer. (Man, that thing rocks!) Coated with whole-wheat flour, bread crumbs, and freshly grated Parmesan, then flash deep fried for a mere 1-2 minutes, these babies come out crisp, golden, and full of flavor, without being overly greasy. Toss a side of whole wheat spaghetti with marinara on the plate, and you've got yourself a classic and delicious dinner.
Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, in 1/2" slices
1/4 c. whole-wheat flour
kosher salt and fresh pepper
2 egg whites
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
enough oil to deep fry

Directions:
Place eggplant in a colander in layers. Over each layer, sprinkle a little salt, then place the next layer on. Let sit for about a half hour (the salt brings out water, which keeps the eggplant from getting mushy and also lends it a sweeter flavor). Pat dry with a clean, non-fuzzy towel. Heat oil to about 350 degrees F in a deep fryer machine or pan. On a plate, mix the flour, salt and pepper. Put the egg whites in a separate bowl. On another plate, mix the bread crumbs and the cheese. Coat each eggplant slice first with flour, then dip into the egg white, then coat with the bread crumb/cheese mixture. Place on a plate or cutting board. In batches of 4-5, fry for 1-2 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from oil and place on a cooling rack while you fry the rest of the slices. To serve, place on a plate, drizzle with your favorite marinara sauce, and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.