Eggplant Boat with Turkey and Ricotta Filling

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, cut into 6 slices about 1 cm thick
• 15 mL (1 tablespoon) olive oil
• 454 g (1 lb) extra-lean ground turkey
• 250 mL (1 cup) carrots, finely sliced
• 250 mL (1 cup) celery, diced
• 250 mL (1 cup) onion, dices (see note)
• 30 mL (2 tablespoons) chopped garlic
• 15 mL (1 tablespoon) Italian seasoning
• 680 mL (2 ¾ cups) tomato coulis
• 250 mL (1 cup) ricotta cheese, reduced in m.g.
• 60 mL (¼ cup) grated Parmesan cheese
• Pepper and salt
• A few fresh basil leaves

Note | You can also use a bag of frozen vegetables for soup or spaghetti sauce to reduce the preparation time for onions, celery and carrots.

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
    
2. In a saucepan over high heat, grill eggplant slices in a drizzle of olive oil for 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Place slices on a non-stick baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
    
3. In the same pan, sauté turkey, vegetables, garlic and Italian seasoning for 5 minutes.
    
4. Pour the tomato coulis into the pan and continue cooking for 5 minutes over medium heat.
    
5. Pour the contents of pan over eggplant. Top with ricotta and Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
    
6. At the end of the cooking time, broil for 2 minutes or until the parmesan is golden. Remove from the oven, garnish with a few basil leaves and enjoy.

Nutritional Information (for 1 slice of eggplant with filling)

Calories 280 kcal
Fat 10 g
Carbohydrates 20 g
Fibre 7 g
Protein 24 g
Sodium 303 mg