In a Casserole Dish
Lamb, Eggplant & Orzo Casserole
1 (1-pound) eggplant, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ pound ground lean lamb
2 cups chunky marinara sauce
1 cup hot cooked whole wheat orzo
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons plain fat-free Greek yogurt
Grated zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup crumbled fat-free feta cheese
1 Preheat oven to 375°F.
2 Combine eggplant and water in 1½-quart microwavable dish. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; poke a few holes in wrap. Microwave on High until eggplant is tender, about 6 minutes; drain.
3 Meanwhile, heat oil in 2-quart flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add lamb and cook, breaking it apart with spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add marinara sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors are blended and mixture begins to thicken, about 8 minutes longer.
4 Remove casserole dish from heat. Stir in eggplant, orzo, mint, yogurt, and lemon zest; sprinkle with feta. Transfer casserole to oven and bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is softened, about 15 minutes.
PER SERVING (1 cup): 302 Cal, 12 g Total Fat, 3 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 49 mg Chol, 911 mg Sod, 29 g Carb, 10 g Sugar, 7 g Fib, 23 g Prot, 109 mg Calc.
HEALTHY EXTRA
Start your meal off with a Greek-inspired salad of thickly sliced unpeeled cucumber, thick wedges of ripe tomato, and thinly sliced red onion dressed with lemon juice and sprinkled with feta cheese (1 ounce of fat-free feta cheese per serving will increase the PointsPlus value by 1).