VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA RECIPE

Try our lighter spin on this classic Greek staple, swapping out potato and ground meat for ricotta and lentils. Rich in amino acids, fibre and magnesium, this vegetarian moussaka will have guests coming back for more.

This recipe is low kilojoule, low fat and high fibre. Serves 4. Each serve contains 1290 kJ kJ, 20g carbs, 21g protein, 13g fat, 10g fibre.

INGREDIENTS:

2 baby eggplants, thinly sliced, lengthways

½ tsp dried oregano

400g canned lentils, rinsed, drained

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

Extra virgin olive oil

CHEESY SAUCE

400g ricotta cheese

1 egg, whisked

Pinch of nutmeg

TOPPING

1/2 cup crumbled feta

2 tb pepita seeds

1 tsp lemon thyme

METHOD:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Place eggplant on a baking dish lined with baking paper, drizzle with oil, season with pepper and oregano and place in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden and tender.

2. While eggplant is cooking, heat a fry pan over medium heat, drizzle with a little oil and cook onion and garlic until softened, roughly 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes stirring frequently over medium to high heat, then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes. Add the lentils and cook for a further 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

3. To make the cheesy sauce, whisk together the ricotta, nutmeg and egg in a bowl until well combined. Season to taste. Set aside.

4. To assemble the moussaka, spoon the tomato-lentil mixture into a baking dish and top with roasted eggplant, followed by the cheesy sauce. Sprinkle with feta and pepita seeds and lemon thyme. Bake for 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

5. Once cooked, allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy with a side salad.