Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, Italian-style
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium eggplant
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a medium-size bowl; set aside. Remove skin from eggplant and trim off ends; slice eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
3. Dip eggplant first into egg whites and then into bread crumb mixture. Bake eggplant on a nonstick cookie sheet until lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once.
4. Place a layer of eggplant on bottom of prepared baking dish, then add 1/3 of tomato sauce and 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers in same order. Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, about 10 minutes more.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts. (4 pieces per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. You can make this Italian restaurant classic at home at a fraction of what you pay out and it's much healthier for you since it's baked and not fried. This is a nice alternative to chicken or veal parmigiana if you want a vegetarian version. I highly recommend serving pasta with marinara sauce for an authentic Italian meal along with a glass of red wine of your choice and you'll feel like you're in Italy.

Chicken Parmigana

Ingredients:

• 4 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4" thick
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Makes 4 Servings

1.  Preheat the oven  to 350 F. Coat a small oven-proof dish with cooking spray. Brush the chicken on both sides with the egg whites. Mix the breadcrumbs with the seasoning on a plate; dip the chicken in the breadcrumbs and turn to coat.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook until lightly browned on both sides. Set aside.
3. Add 1 cup tomato sauce to oven-proof dish. Place the chicken on top. Pour remaining sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 per serving

 Note: This recipe appears in the Weight Watchers Kick Start Guide. I had a lot of chicken in my freezer and I had a busy week ahead of me and I wanted to have some healthy chicken dinners for the week. This is a nice and filling dinner with a side of pasta and a glass of wine. Plus, you won't get hungry afterwords and this homemade dinner tastes just  as good as the chicken parm you order in an Italian restaurant.