Grab yourself a bottle of wine and enjoy this delicious Italian meal... that is completely vegan! Also, we used quinoa but pasta noodles are another great option as a base. Enjoy :)
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Ingredients:
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour (or regular flour)
1 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese (we used follow your heart)
2 teaspoons It
Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup almond milk plain (or any nut milk)
1 eggplant large, sliced into 1/4 inch circles
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups quinoa cooked, cook according to package instructions
1 and 1/2 cups marinara sauce (we like tomato basil with this recipe)
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Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. (NOTE: Have 3 cups of quinoa cooked and ready by the time your eggplant is finished cooking.)
Wash and cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch circles. Lay them out on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let them sweat for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, get three bowls for the next step. Fill one with flour and mix with half of the Italian seasoning and salt. The second bowl with almond milk. The third with panko bread crumbs, vegan parm, remaining Italian seasoning and salt.
After the eggplants are done sweating you will press down on each slice with paper towel to get excess water and salt off.
Dip each circle of eggplant into the flour. Next, dip into the milk, and last dip the eggplant into the panko mixture making sure the eggplant is covered each time it’s dipped. Once coated, place the eggplant onto the prepared baking sheet.
Drizzle coated eggplant with olive oil and bake for 6 - 9 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn over and cook another 5 minutes or until the second side is golden.
Spoon the quinoa into serving dishes and place the eggplant on top. Pour the marinara on top. Top with additional vegan parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy! :)