Plant Based Entrees

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk  (or other neutral dairy-free milk)
• 1 tsp cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)

• 1/2 cup gluten free flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
• 1 healthy pinch sea salt

• 1/3 cup gluten free panic bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp dried oregano* 
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1 whole long, narrow eggplant (sliced into 1/8th inch rounds // skin on)
• 4 Tbsp neutral cooking oil (I like avocado or coconut // divided)

• 1 cup fat free marinara (or your favorite store bought sauce)
• 8-10 ounces cooked pasta (such as linguini, penne, or spiralized vegetables)
• 1 batch fat free vegan Alfredo sauce

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Also, prepare your dipping stations by mixing together almond milk and cornstarch in one bowl; gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and sea salt in another bowl; and gluten-free panko bread crumbs, cornmeal, vegan parmesan cheese, oregano, and sea salt in another bowl (see photo).
• If serving with pasta and sauces, prepare at this time (optional). Once pasta is done cooking, drain and cover with a towel to keep warm. Set aside.
• Next, dip eggplant slices in flour mixture, then almond milk mixture, and then breadcrumb mixture and arrange dipped rounds on a clean plate.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 2 Tbsp oil (30 ml // as recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Let the oil heat for 1 minute. Then add 4-5 eggplant rounds at a time and brown for ~2-3 minutes on each side or until light golden brown. Then add to the prepared baking sheet, and add baking sheet to the oven so the eggplant can start baking.
• Continue browning eggplant in batches until all rounds are browned and in the oven, adding more oil to the cooking pan as needed and turn down heat if eggplant rounds are browning too quickly.
• Bake eggplant for 10-15 minutes or until crispy and golden brown, flipping once around the halfway mark to ensure even baking. Then serve as is or with desired sides and sauces.

*You can also try using gluten-free bread crumbs, but panko bread crumbs add a crispier texture.
*You can sub 2 tsp fresh oregano per 1 tsp dried.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with oil for cooking, and without additional sauces or sides.

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 334Carbohydrates: 40 gProtein: 4.7 gFat: 18 gSaturated Fat: 2.5 gTrans Fat: 0 gCholesterol: 0 mgSodium: 218 mgFiber: 5.4 gSugar: 4.4 g

(Courtesty of the Minimalist Baker)

1-10oz box jumbo pasta shell
1-24 oz jar marinara sauce. (I like roasted garlic and try to find one that is low in fat or fat free,
Filling:
2 cups riced cauliflower, cooked
1 cup oats, GF
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1). Preheat the oven to 375.

2). Cook shells in boiling water according to package directions, then drain and set aside.

3). In a medium food processor or high speed blender, add all the ingredients for the filling, except for the spinach. Process or blend until smooth and transfer to a medium bowl.

4). Mix in the chopped spinach.  In a 9×13 baking dish, pour ½ the jar of marinara into the bottom of the dish and spread it around.  

5). Take 1 cooked shell at a time and fill with a small spoonful (about 1 tbsp) of filling, and place in the 9×13 dish.

6). Once all the shells are filled and placed into the baking dish, spoon the remainder of the marinara sauce over each shell.  Then cover and bake for 25 minutes.  

My preference is oats. Oats are 40-60% starch made of amylose and amylopectin which causes sauce to thicken. Also, Oats yield only .5 grams of fat for the entire batch of sauce.