Eggplant Lasagna With Ricotta Cheese - Vegan

I had some lovely eggplant in my fridge and wanted to make an eggplant lasagna casserole.  I wanted to slice the eggplant lengthwise as thinly as possible with my mandolin slicer.  Then the worst thing happens.  I accidentally put the tip of my finger through the mandolin slicer.  The laceration was about a half inch deep horizontally and I debated whether or not to go to Urgent Care on a Sunday evening but the thought of a tetanus shot was lingering in my head.  Did I want to take the risk of not going?  Did I want to wake up with lockjaw the next day?  No.  So I decided to go and take advantage of the health insurance my husband was paying for.

Then I had another freak out.  I sliced the finger on my right hand and I couldn't right my insurance information on the paperwork so I needed my Jase to take me to Urgent Care but he wasn't home!  He was playing in a basketball league and although he wasn't playing a game for another hour I needed his help to get me dressed.  I asked my friend Kim if she could forward me the number to Jase's friend who played in a similar league on Sunday evenings.  Kim found out that his friend wasn't playing that evening and she offered to take me to Urgent Care.  I felt so bad because she was having a dinner date with her boyfriend, Cesar but they were so kind to pick me up and take me.  By the time Kim and Cesar picked me up, Jase finally called back and told us he would meet us at Urgent Care.  Then I felt even worse because Kim and Cesar left their date to pick me up.  I'm so sorry and thank you, guys!  I really appreciate your help.

When we arrived at Urgent Care, they told us that they were closed and I could try going to the ER at the hospital next door.  Urgh!  Nightmare.  I felt horrible and told Kim and Cesar that Jase would take me to the ER since I knew the wait there would be long.  There were no available seats in the ER waiting room and there must have been 50 people waiting in that room.  When we asked the receptionist how long the wait would be, she sighed and said she couldn't give us an answer.  By this time, Jase searched for a 24 hour Urgent Care a little further from our home and when we got there, there were only 5 people in the waiting room.  Whew!  Three hours later, I was able to see someone and by that time, the blood had clotted and my wound had stopped bleeding and closed.  I saw a physician and she told me that I didn't have to get a tetanus shot since I received a Tdap vaccine a few years ago.  My old doctor wanted me to get a Tdap a few years ago for pertussis but I didn't realize that a Tdap vaccine also covered tetanus as well so I was in the clear.  Now I just have to put up with Jase for the whole week about how he missed his basketball game to get a very expensive band aid. 

Yesterday, I started out with two eggplants and today, I just had one left.  I put away my Le Creuset baking dish and pulled out my lovely ramequins and decided to make 3 individual servings since I had to halve the measurements in my recipe.  You can double the measurements in this recipe and it should be good to be placed into a 9x12" baking dish.


Eggplant Lasagna With Ricotta Cheese - Vegan

Serves 3 - Use with three ramequins 4" diameter

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant cut horizontally into 1/2 inch thick pieces
• 2 cups of marinara sauce (see recipe below)
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (I use Tofutti brand)
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ( I used Follow Your Heart)

1. Place the sliced eggplant onto a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil.  Cover the eggplant with foil and roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. 
2. Spoon a layer of marinara sauce into the ramequin.
3. Place 2 slices of eggplant on top of the marinara sauce.
4. Add about two tablespoons of ricotta cheese.
5. Spoon a layer of marinara sauce over the ricotta cheese
6. Add 2 more slices of eggplant.  Layer with ricotta cheese, a layer of marinara sauce and top with shredded mozzarella.  
7. Place the filled ramequins onto a baking sheet.  Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.  Let the the eggplant lasagna sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.  The cheese and sauce should stop bubbling by then.

Ingredients for the Marinara Sauce

• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 6 chopped roma tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon vegetarian bouillon power or chickn' bouillon seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup
  
• 20 chopped basil leaves
• 1 cup chopped crimini mushrooms

1. In a heated skillet, add olive oil and minced garlic.  Stir until fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes, bouillon powder, oregano, thyme, nutritional yeast, agave syrup, basil leaves and crimini mushrooms to the skillet.
3. Let it simmer for about five minutes.  You can spoon the marinara sauce out of the skillet into the ramequins.