Aubergine & Halloumi Parmigiana

Welcome to day 2 of my VoucherCodes challenge! (Day one is here) I had various plans with this meal, and then totally changed my mind and went for something entirely different. But it’s really nice, and really low fat. Amazeballs.

I’m calling this Aubergine Parmigiana, but it doesn’t actually have parmesan in it, so the name is totally misleading. I personally feel that parmesan completely disintegrates when used in a bake, and other, more robust cheeses are a better bet. Plus, I had some halloumi in the fridge, and I don’t need much of an excuse to use halloumi. This recipe is incredibly low fat. Weight Watchers-wise, the only pointed thing is the cheese, and it would be tasty without. But, as you know, everything is a little better with cheese.

Okay, a LOT better.

Aubergine & Halloumi Parmigiana
3 x Aubergines - 0PP / 175cal
1 carton Passata - 0PP / 160cal
1 can of carton chopped tomatoes - 0PP / 88cal
1 onion - 0PP / 46cal
1 courgette - 0PP / 18cal
6 mushrooms - 0PP / 20cal
5 garlic cloves - 0PP / 26cal
225g light halloumi - 16PP / 549
75g low fat cheddar - 6PP / 236 cals
100g spinach - 0PP / 23cal
2 tsp artificial sweetener - 0PP / 2cal
Herbs e.g. basil, paprika
20PP / 5PP per person

Serves 4.

Calories: 578cal / 145cal per portion
WW Points: 20PP / 5PP per portion

Total cost: £9.05 (£2.26/portion)
To reduce points - Use less or no cheese.

1. Preheat the oven to 200c
2. Slice the aubergines lengthwise and then griddle a few at a time with a bit of frylight (or dry) until charred both sides. When done, place on a plate.
3. Slice the halloumi and using the same pan, griddle until browned. Set aside.
4. Cook your mushrooms, onions and courgette in a frying pan or wok with the garlic until soft.
5. Add the tomatoes, passata and sweetener and stir well.
6. Add the spinach, and put the lid on for a minute or so until it begins to wilt. Then stir into the sauce.
7. Add a healthy pinch of dried basil and of smoked paprika, if you have any and stir.
8. Leave the sauce to bubble with the lid off on a medium-high heat for 10 minutes or so. The sauce will thicken and reduce.
9. Time to assemble. Spread some of the tomato sauce into an ovenproof dish, then lay some of the aubergine slices over the top.
10. Repeat with a layer of tomato, a layer of aubergines, until everything is in the sauce (I managed three layers of tomatoes, two of aubergines)
11. Scatter the halloumi over the top and then grate the 75g of low fat cheddar over that.
12. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbling.

This is so low that I took it into work for lunch! So tasty, and it reheats beautifully.