Cutting Calories in Eggplant Parmesan

Daily Diet Makeovers

Simply coat sliced eggplant in raw egg whites, then dip into a mix of yellow or white cornmeal, salt and pepper.

Place onto a pan sprayed with cooking spray and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven until crispy and golden brown.

Remove and place on serving plate.  Top each slice of eggplant with a couple Tablespoons of your favorite marinara sauce, then top each slice with about 2 Tablespoons of skimmed grated mozzarella cheese.

Signs of a Bad, Bitter Eggplant

• Eggplant lacks shine and firmness.

• Once opened, large seeds are revealed.  The larger the seeds, the more time the eggplant has had to accumulate bitter compounds.  Large seeds also indicate an overripe - rather than an unripened specimen.

• We recommend tossing the eggplant or returning for a full refund.  Though an old cook's trick is to soak the eggplant in salt for about an hour might remove a bit of bitterness, it won't totally eradicate the bitterness, thus impacting the flavor of the dish.  The last time I tasted a bitter eggplant, it was a long while before I wanted to look at an eggplant again.