Eggplant Parmigiana

Today, I was watching a food show where they made an adult and a "kid" version of chicken fingers. The adult version had coconut flakes and ginger. The "kid-friendly" version had neither of the previously mentioned ingredients. The chef said that this was so because ginger and coconut were strong ingredients and he didn't want to scare off the kids. I have to say, I kind of resent that statement. I feel, and maybe I'm alone in this, that food does not have to be dumbed-down for kids. I'm sure kids that grew up in Thailand eat coconut in their food on a regular basis, that many asian kids consider ginger to be a staple in their diet. Kids, I believe, have a more tolerable palate than we give them credit for and by not exposing them to different flavors, we are doing them an injustice. 
Talking about not dumbing down food and as promised, here is a recipe for a baby version of an eggplant parmigiana. I have to say, I very much regretted not having gotten enough eggplant to make an adult version for dinner. Once I smelled it baking in the oven and saw the gooey, golden cheese....I really wanted it. I guess I'll be taking a trip to the grocery store tomorrow.


Here is what I did:
4 oz (however many oz your baby eats) Eggplant Puree
1 tbsp of Panko breading (you can also use breadcrumbs)
1 tsp of shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp of italian seasoning
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh Basil 
*If your baby is older than 10 months, you can also add tomato sauce (Layers: eggplant, breading, sauce, mozzarella, basil). 
In a bowl or dish, mix together panko, parmesan and italian seasoning. 
In an oven safe plate, pour the eggplant puree. 
Top the puree with the panko mix and top this mix with a slice of mozzarella cheese.
Set the oven to Broil and bake until golden brown. 
Top with fresh basil. 
Let cool before feeding your little one. Enjoy!