Eggplant Moussaka

When I'm not thinking about baking desserts, I'm thinking about eating desserts. And when I'm not thinking about the former

or

the latter, I'm thinking about Grey's Anatomy...

I realize I have a bit of a problem.

But, really. Have you tasted

these

? And once you get started on instant Netflix, there is no going back.

But if you

have

to come back to reality, you should at least try to do is softly, cushioned with lots of tasty foods on your way down (That probably didn't make much sense... whatever).

That's why I made this dish. I was looking for a warm and comforting dish that was both healthy and fast (and I also had an eggplant that was dying to be eaten).

I modified it to my own tastes: subbing in ground turkey instead of beef. I'm don't generally eat beef and I found the switch to be quite tasty. If you'd like to make this vegetarian, I think you could definitely sub in chickpeas for the meat. I would be very tasty.

I served it over whole-wheat pasta, but I think couscous, rice, or mashed potatoes would be equally yummy. And of course, you can't forget about

dessert

.

Looking for other dinner ideas?

Pasta Puttanesca

Sicilian Chicken

Roasted 

Portobello Burgers

Eggplant Moussaka

 (lightly adapted from Eating Well Magazine)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 small eggplant  (8 to 10 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup low-fat or nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. If you have a skinny eggplant, slice into 1/4-in. "coins"; if it is fatter, first cut it in half length wise and then cut into 1/4-in. slices. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add meat, oregano, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring and breaking up the meat until it is no longer pink, 4-8 minutes.
3. Remove meat and garlic from pan with a slotted spoon and place in a medium bowl. Add tomato puree, diced tomato, water, and yogurt, stirring until combined.
4. Wipe off skillet. Over medium-high heat, heat remaining 1/2 T olive oil. Add onion, remaining garlic, and eggplant and cook, stirring often, until the onions are slightly translucent and the eggplant is softened, 4-8 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the meat mixture, cover, and cook until the eggplant and onion are soft, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley and lightly mix. Serve immediately over whole-wheat pasta or with a tasty veggie.