Ratatouille

By gwendee1

Don't peel the vegetables—otherwise they'll become a puree. Buy small eggplant; the skin of large ones can be bitter.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 med yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green bell peppers, sliced in 1/2" strips
• 2 med zucchini, sliced in 1/2" rounds
• 2 sm eggplant, sliced in 1/2" rounds (about 1 lb)
• 4 lg tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, drained
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Preparation

Step 1

1. HEAT oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet. Cook onion over medium-high heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
2. REDUCE heat to medium-low, add peppers, and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. ADD zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, thyme, and salt. Cook, covered, until cooked through, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. SEASON with additional salt, if desired, and black pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with parsley.

NUTRITION (per serving) 193 cal, 5 g pro,23 g carb, 9 g fiber, 11 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 898 mg sodium

Make it a meal!
-Pasta Toss with any type and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
-Omelet Add a few tablespoons right before folding.
-Sausage Sandwich Spoon over sausage in a crusty roll. (It's better than a chili dog!)
-Vegetarian medley Ladle over couscous and top with toasted nuts.
-Pizza Top dough and shower with grated fresh mozzarella.
-Rice and Beans Serve on a bed of rice—or any grain—mixed with cooked dried or drained canned beans.

5 Flavor Changes
Tex-Mex Add ½ c corn kernels and 1 tsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Top with cilantro rather than parsley.
Greek Swap 1 tsp dried oregano for the thyme, add ½ c pitted kalamata olives, and sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top.
Spanish Add 2 tsp paprika, ½ c pitted green olives, and some sliced cooked chorizo.
Italian Add 1 tsp dried rosemary with a cooked and crumbled Italian sausage.
Indian Add 1 tsp turmeric and 1 Tbsp curry powder.