Grain Free Egg-plant Lasagna

This recipe started as an improvisation and it evolved with time. My family decided to reduce the grains in our diet even the gluten free and as a result, at least I can speak for myself and my son, we feel better. I am proud of my husband that he changed his mind and doesn't  see the purchase of organic food as a waist of money. He still has issues with grass fed meat but I think that this would change soon :)

I don't know if I mentioned it before, but the eggplant should be soaked in cold water for about an hour because it could be an irritant for people with allergies or kidney disease.

I know that lasagna is usually  made with Ricotta cheese but I don't care much about its texture, that's why I prefer cottage cheese. However if you prefer Ricotta, use the one you like best. Also, the Marinara sauce I used, was made from scratch but if you don't have time to prepare it, use a store bought one. I usually make the sauce while the eggplant is soaking in the cold water.

So lets start ! And here is what you need:

Ingredients:

For the Marinara Sauce

Tomato Puree 

1 Onion chopped finely 

3-4 Garlic cloves smashed and chopped

2 Tbsp. Basil 

Olive oil 

Sea salt and Pepper to taste. 

Combine all ingredients, bring to boil, reduce heat and let it simmer, until sauce is done. Stir it occasionally.

For the Lasagna

1 Eggplant sliced

1 lb Ground Beef

1 cup Cottage Cheese
2-3 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1-2 Tbsp. Sea Salt
1 -2 Tbsp. Gr. Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder.
2 Cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

In a bowl mix the ground beef, cottage cheese, spices and seasonings. On the bottom of a pan pour some of the marinara sauce and lay a few slices of the eggplant. Spread evenly meat mixture and sprinkle some shredded cheese. Lay on top more eggplant slices just like when you make lasagna with regular dough/noodles. The last layer should be eggplant slices and sauce that covers the whole dish. Cover with aluminum foil , make a few holes in the foil and bake it on 400F for about an hour. Uncover and bake for another 15-20 min. Just before done add the rest of Monterrey jack and bake until cheese melts.