Veggie Cannelloni

I am truly addicted to pasta and cheese. But sometimes I try to make my meals a little healthier than just pasta covered cheese because we all could use a little more veggie love in our lives. I've subbed out pasta for cauliflower and made a delicious new version of Cauliflower Mac and Cheese and I knew I could make a cannelloni just as tasty as the real thing without using pasta too. 

Here's my recipe for Eggplant Cannelloni. They're stuffed with ricotta, black beans, olives, and drenched in a tomato sauce. 

Eggplant Cannelloni - makes 12-14 cannelloni

1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 - 2 cups of tomato sauce
2 cups of ricotta
1 cup of black beans
1 head of roasted garlic
1/4 cup of olives
4 cups of spinach, quickly blanched in hot water
Salt, pepper, and chili flakes, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Begin by frying eggplant slices in a little oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium low heat. Fry on both sides until eggplant is slightly browned and flexible. Set aside and let cool so you can touch the eggplant.

3. While you're frying the eggplant, mix together the ricotta, beans, garlic, olives, and spinach. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.

4. Next smear 1 cup of the tomato sauce along the bottom of a baking dish in an even layer and then begin to make your cannelloni. Lay out one piece of eggplant and scoop a 1/4 - 1/3 cup amount of the  ricotta  mixture into the centre of the eggplant. Wrap up the eggplant and place it into the baking dish. Repeat until all eggplant and ricotta are gone.

5. If desired, drizzle remaining cup of tomato sauce over top of the Eggplant Cannelloni and then bake for about 20 minutes or until warm.

6. Serve and enjoy. :)