Eggplant Stacks

I stopped by Trader Joe's and they had some beautiful eggplants in stock. I decided to try my hand at something different. I've made eggplant rollatini, eggplant parm and a few casserole before but I had never made stacks. I've seen several recipes for these and used some of one and some of another for the dish below.

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large eggplants, sliced 1/4" thick
• soy milk
• 1/2 cup panko crumbs
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 8 tablespoons Daiya mozzarella shreds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a large saute pan over moderate heat. Heat the pan, then heat the oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes (we're sweating not sauteing them, so we don't want them to get any color).

Add the mushrooms and zucchini to the pan, stir to combine, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the spices and tomatoes, stir again, and simmer for 8 minutes.

While the tomato sauce is simmering, prepare the eggplant. Place the soy milk in a saucer and the bread crumbs in a second saucer. Dip each slice of eggplant into the soy milk using one hand, then coat in the bread crumbs using the other hand. Heat a griddle over moderate heat. Cook each slice of eggplant until the panko is brown (a couple of minutes per side.)

Place a eggplant slice in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Top slice with 1/4 cup sauce.

Top with another slice of eggplant (you're creating eggplant stacks).

Add another 1/4 cup of sauce.  Sprinkle on nutritional yeast and the cheese.

Repeat with remaining eggplant slices.

Bake covered for 20-25 minutes, until the eggplant is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with any additional sauce.

I served these with Gardein Crispy Chick'n Fillets .
Enjoy!!!