I come from a very large Italian family and every Sunday, we gathered to dine on meals like chicken marsala, gnocchi with bolognese sauce, and - my favorite - homemade lasagna. Now that I have my own traditions, I've taken my favorite meal and transformed it to be a combination with my husband's favorite- eggplant parmesan. Many of you know that eggplant parmesan is breaded eggplant served with a delicious red sauce and fresh mozzarella. But what if it were layered, mimicking a lasagna? I'd say pop open a bottle of your favorite red wine and enjoy this dish over your next Sunday dinner! This dish is just as delicious with WAY less carbs and calories than a normal lasagna. Cheers to a healthy, and TASTY, substitute. 

Ingredients:
3 medium to large eggplants
16 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
2 cups Italian herb bread crumbs
3 large eggs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese 
2 jars of marinara sauce 
freshly chopped basil
salt 

About an hour before you begin to assemble the dish, cut the eggplant into 1/4" slices discarding both ends. Lay circular slices on a paper towel lined baking pan and salt both sides of each slice. Cover with another layer of paper towels and let sit for 45 minutes to an hour. 

After the eggplant has been salted, put the breadcrumbs in one bowl and whisked eggs in another. Turn the oven on to 325 degrees. Take each piece of eggplant and dredge them through the egg wash and bread crumb mixture. Place back on the baking pan. Once the baking pan is full, roast the eggplant in the oven for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Repeat until all slices of eggplant are toasted. 

Take a large and deep baking dish and coat in a light layer of olive oil. Start to assemble your lasagna with one layer of toasted eggplant circles, top with a healthy dollop of marinara sauce, followed by a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the second layer of eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella. Once all slices are stacked and coated in marinara sauce, top with grated parmesan and fresh basil. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes or until cheese starts to brown and sauce is bubbly. 

Let set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.