Ahhhh my ‘ricotta’ -I made my stuffed shells  while I was home a few months back & had my family cringing when I told them they just ate tofu! Yep, unlike me & the hub my family typically steers clear of soy (or anything similar).  However, this lovely blend of tofu, spinach & spices really trips people up because it is packed with so much flavor & it has the same consistency of a soft cheese.

With this meal you still get the warm feeling that you are having a hearty meal with cheese & eggplant – but in actuality you are keeping it clean (arteries & all)! So whether you pair the ‘ricotta’ with lasagna, stuffed shells or come up with a concoction of your own, make sure to try it out! It will surely surprise your taste buds!

On to my meatless monday dinner…

1. Preheat oven to 375 & line a baking sheet
2. Slice  an eggplant lengthwise (~1/2inch thick), spray both sides with cooking oil, place on prepared sheet & grind some salt/pepper on top
3. Bake for 20minutes – flip eggplant at the 10 minute mark
4. In a blender add 1 drained package of Lite Firm Nasoya tofu, a 10oz package of defrosted spinach, 1/2C fresh basil, 2T EVOO, 1T nutritional yeast, 1.5t salt, 1t oregano, 1t parsley & 2 cloves minced garlic – blend
5. Remove eggplant after 20minutes, drop 1-2T of ‘ricotta tofu’ at the larger end of the eggplant – roll & line up in baking dish (repeat til eggplant is gone)
6. Cover all eggplant rolls with marinara (~1C )
7. Bake in oven for 15minutes

To serve – remove from pan, top with fresh basil & a salad on the side! Enjoy!

Continue reading for ingredient list…

Ingredient List for ‘Ricotta’ Eggplant Rolls:

• 1 or 2 large eggplants
• 1 package of Lite Firm Nasoya tofu
• 10oz package of frozen spinach (no salt/butter)
• 1/2C fresh basil
• Basic Pantry: EVOO, nutritional yeast, oregano, parsley, minced garlic & S/P