Eggplant Lasagna

I grew up eating a variation of this lasagna, complete with the high carb and, to my mind, unnecessary noodles. It has been fun to recreate lasagna and like my previous rendition of my mother's Man-Catcher Lasagna, I do not miss the traditional dish. This is a great recipe to make ahead of time, keep in the fridge or freezer, and cook when you get home.

1 lb ground lean beef or turkey
1 jar store-bought marinara
2 medium eggplant
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper

Heat a large pan to medium and cook beef or turkey. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, then pour in marinara. Turn down to a simmer.

Preheat the oven to 450. To prepare the eggplant, peel each and cut into 1/4 inch slices, making large circles. Place on an oiled baking sheet in a single layer and cook 15 minutes.

To assemble the lasagna, pour half the marinara and meat mixture into a deep baking dish. Layer with half the cooked eggplant, then spread all the cottage cheese in a single layer. Season the layer with cracked black pepper and sprinkle one half the mozzarella cheese. Top with the rest of the eggplant, then the rest of the marinara mix. Top it off with the remainder of the mozzarella and all the Parmesan.

Cover with lid or tin foil and bake in a 400 degree oven 35-40 minutes. Take off the lid/tin foil after baking and put back in under a hot broiler to brown the top. Let the lasagna sit at least 10 minutes, if you can stand it, before serving!