"Not" Ratatouille

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A few year's ago I made Julia Child's ratatouille recipe in an attempt to make a French dish "correctly". Over the course of about 8 hours, I chopped vegetables to centimeter-specific measurements, blanched, peeled and de-seeded tomatoes, individually seared and sautéed each variety of veggie and layered them according to a very particular pattern within the final dish to create the perfect final product. Was it delicious and did it pass my French husband's standards? Yep. Would I ever spend that amount of time and effort again for a pot of roasted vegetables? Nope. So this is my "not ratatouille" but very similar, and very adaptable recipe for a low-lift, set it and forget it bowl of genuinely delicious summer veggies.

It's a fantastic way to use up all the extra zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, onions peppers or whatever else you have from the farmer's market that you won't get to fast enough. And while it's excellent warm the day you make it, it's potentially even better the next few days cold or hot. Served with your choice of protein on the side: think lentil salad, soft-boiled eggs or a piece of fish, it's a perfect side dish that will last you the week.

Health Benefits:

Rich in Antioxidants: The recipe includes a variety of vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant, as well as herbs and garlic, which are all excellent sources of antioxidants that help protect your body's cells.

Heart-Healthy Fats: The use of olive oil and olives provides monounsaturated fats, which can help support cardiovascular health and reduce inflammation.

Fiber-Rich: Vegetables such as okra, eggplant, and zucchini contribute dietary fiber, which is beneficial for digestive health, building a healthy microbiome and helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Key ingredients like garlic, onions, and various herbs are known for their natural anti-inflammatory effects.

Ingredients (Makes 4-6 large servings):

*Please be flexible with these ingredients. While I used the below, you can add/edit/remove the vegetables based on what you have and I promise it will be ok. This is the definition of a "throw everything in" recipe and with some good olive oil and some herbs/spices, you can't mess it up.

• 2 small or 1 large eggplant

• 2 zucchini

• 2 bell peppers, any color(s)

• 2 leeks, halved and well-rinsed to remove any sand/dirt

• 1 onion and or 2 shallots

• 6-8 cloves garlic (measure with your heart)

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tbsp herbes de provence (or a mixture or oregano, thyme & rosemary)

• 2 tsp salt, divided

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes

• 10 okra

• 5 sundried tomatoes, diced

• 1/2 cup parsley

• 1/2 cup basil

• 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives

• 2 tsp red/white wine vinegar

• *Optional but not necessary if you have some open to use up: 1/2 cup white wine

Instructions:

• Chop all the eggplant, zucchini and peppers into ~1inch cubes and slice leeks/onions/shallots thinly. The cherry tomatoes can be left whole. Cut the tops and ends off the okra and slice into 1/2 inch sections. Chop the garlic.

• In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. If you REALLY want to go the extra mile, the eggplant does well browned. So place the eggplant in the bottom and let cook untouched for 5-7 minutes to brown. Or skip this step if you are in a time crunch.

• Add the zucchini, pepper, leeks, onions/shallots, garlic and sauté until the onions are soft.

• Add 1 tsp salt, herbes de provence and the tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tomato paste is darker in color.

• Add the cherry tomatoes, okra and sundried tomatoes. If using wine, add at this stage.

• Over low-heat allow the vegetables to cook for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally until soft and you have a stew-like texture with the vegetables still retaining some shape.

• Add the parsley, basil, olives and vinegar and cook for 5 more minutes.

• Taste and adjust salt/seasoning.

• At this point you serve or could remove from the heat and let sit/cool until ready to eat.

• Top with some extra fresh herbs and enjoy!

Nutrition Info (Per 1/6 of dish): Calories: 237 Protein:4.4g Carbs: 21.4g Fat: 14.8g Fiber: 6g