Hubby has been experiencing with a variety of eggplant recipes recently, after learning to make his own Baba ghanoush and it turning out amazing(like the best I’ve ever had, recipe coming soon on that too). Anyway, we started thinking outside the box and coming up with different recipes using eggplant. Last week he made an eggplant “lasagna” layering eggplant with other things, without using pasta. The egg plant serves as the pasta and you can use a variety of meatless items to layer between such as “Neat”, the meatless, soyless powder you can make patties out of, and light life white bean and Kale deli slices.

For this recipe, we used the deli slices(photo below), salt/pepper them and bake in the oven for two minutes on each side prior to layering them.

Along side the deli slices(on same cookie sheet),we baked 6 grape tomatoes for same amount of time. The tomatoes were sliced in half and tossed with olive oil and a cranberry balsamic vinegar.

Slice eggplant into 12 small to medium slices, Place on cookie sheet and baste with truffle olive oil and a lemon pepper mix. Cook in oven for seven minutes on each side at about 420°.

Layer eggplant, deli slices, tomato, vegan cheese (we use Daiya which is creamy and is cut in a perfect shape for this—it is soyless based).

Top with sauce. We used a cashew cream base(photo below is one serving), allspice, nutmeg, clove, nutritional yeast, mixed well. We made individual servings in my Grandma’s corningware, which is perfect. Can be made all in one pan as well. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with torn basil, paprika and sunflower seeds.

Step by step photographs included below.