Roasted Eggplant Caprese

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, sliced lengthwise as evenly as possible into 5 slices
• Salt
• 2 tbsp avocado or olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 10 slices
• 1 medium tomato, cut into 10 slices
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, packed

Instructions

1. Lay the eggplant on a tea towel and sprinkle both sides with salt. Let sit one hour to release moisture. Pat dry with another tea towel. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Lay the eggplant slices on the pan and brush the top side with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top each slice of eggplant with 2 slices of mozzarella and 2 slices of tomato. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove and sprinkle with chopped basil. Serve immediately.