Skinny Moussaka ~The Kitchen Witch ~ Healthy Recipes

One of my subscribers posted a request last week on my Kitchen Witch Facebook page for a lighter version of moussaka - and I was so excited to give it a try, I got right on it. Moussaka is a delicious dish but I've only ever been able to take it in small doses because the traditional version is so rich.

As is the case with many recipes, I knew I wouldn't miss the surplus of oil, fats, and sodium that is in traditional moussaka. So I made changes to amp up the flavour, and clean up the ingredients and not only was every single bite delicious, this dish is also healthy and nutritious.

My version uses ground turkey and mild Italian turkey sausage and that change alone, has a significant impact on the fat and calories in the end product. Not to mention the flavour - because I can't even begin to tell you how incredibly scrumptious the filling in this moussaka is.

To see some of the other changes I made and learn how to cook and assemble this yourself, please join me in the kitchen and watch my short step by step video.




Skinny Moussaka
Visit the Printable recipe here: Skinny Moussaka


Prep Time: 90 minutes
Bake Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3 medium sized eggplants
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1/2 diced red pepper
• 1/2 diced green pepper
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 4 mild Italian turkey sausages
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1  tsp Italian seasoning 
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 796 ml tin diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup no sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup sliced black or Kalamata olives
• 2 cups unsweetened Greek yogurt 
• 1/2 cup grated Grueyere cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp sea salt 
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions 

1. Saute the ground turkey, Italian turkey sausage that's been removed from its casings, and the diced white onion in a large non stick frying pan that's been lightly sprayed with olive oil over medium high heat. 
2. Use your spatula to break up the sausage meat and blend it with the ground turkey. Continue to saute until all of the moisture is released from the meat  browning further by pressing it down into the pan. 
3. When the meat is fully cooked, add the diced red and green peppers and the diced zucchini. 
4.  Add the minced garlic, black pepper, Italian seasoning, ground cinnamon, allspice, diced organic tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Mix well so that all the flavours come together. 
5. Add 1 cup of no sodium chicken broth, bring it to the boil, turn heat to a low simmer and leave uncovered, continuing to stir periodically for an hour or until the sauce is thick and the vegetables are soft and incorporated into the sauce.  
6.  Peel the egg plants and cut them into 1/2 inch slices. Place them onto paper towel and sprinkle with the half tsp salt. Let them sit for 30 minutes. 
7. Take the sauce off the heat, set it aside, and then in a dry non stick pan over medium heat fry the sliced zucchini about a minute a side. 
8. Place half of the fried egg plant into the bottom of a deep lasagna dish that has been lightly sprayed with olive oil or cooking spray. Cover with the sauce. Place another layer of egg plant over that.
9. Mix the Greek yogurt with the eggs, cheese, salt, nutmeg, and pepper and spread the sauce over the top of your casserole.
10. Bake for an hour in a 350 degree oven until everything is golden and beautiful. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutritional Analysis

Calories per serving: 211
Total Fat per serving: 9 grams
Saturated Fat per serving: 1.9 g
Sodium per serving: 217 mg
Nutrition grade: A

Author:

Lyndsay Wells is a professional trainer, writer, and program developer with a passion for food and cooking. She is an award winning recipe developer, a former website ambassador for Kraft Foods Canada, the $20,000.00 winner of the online competition "The Real Women of Philadelphia" and a finalist on the Food Network Canada show Recipe to Riches. Lyndsay believes cooking should be approachable and easy and has great tips and ideas for putting together sophisticated looking dishes that cooks of all levels can accomplish.