Polenta & Vegetable Bake

Manami's Note:

Delicious! ;) Low Calorie & Heart Healthy - The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006) - December 2005/January 2006. This comforting and healthful vegetarian casserole is perfect on a cool night or any time of the year, especially when we were having torrential storms and one minute it was hot and the next freezing cold!:) Why not make it a meal and enjoy with a glass of Zinfandel and for dessert biscotti dipped in a fresh-brewed colada de café (Cuban coffee).Also - diabetes appropriate/low cal/heart healthy/low cholesterol in other words, healthy!

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium eggplant , diced
• 1 small zucchini , finely diced
• ½ cup button mushroom
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ½ cup water
• 10 ounces baby spinach
• 1 ½ cups prepared marinara sauce , preferably lower-sodium (we used Paul Newman's Marinara Sauce)
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• 14 ounces prepared polenta , sliced lengthwise into 6 thin slices (we used Trader Joe's Organic prepared polenta0)
• 1 ½ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese , divided

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF & coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Add water and spinach; cover and cook until wilted, stirring once, about 3 minutes.
5. Stir marinara sauce into the vegetables and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in basil.
7. Place polenta slices in a single layer in the prepared baking dish, trimming to fit if necessary.
8. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese, top with the eggplant mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
9. Bake until bubbling and the cheese has just melted, 12 to 15 minutes.
10. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.