I never really knew what this dish was until I watched the Disney version of Ratatouille. Slices of zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes… served in a platter by the most adorable little mouse ever.
However, there will be no mouse assisting me in my kitchen. Those furry little rodents aren’t THAT cute…
But bring me the veggies! I made this dish into a stew type dish. I saw pictures of neatly sliced vegetable rounds all laying perfectly perfect… but where is the fun in that?! Just chop some veggies, add some herbs, cook and eat!
This is a very easy recipe and very easy on the pocket book. There is no protein in this dish but you could serve a small side of your desired protein if you would like (turkey, chicken, tofu, legumes). Tonight I heated up some leftovers after the gym and had wilted spinach and chickpeas mixed in. Super yummy! And the flavors intensified from yesterday making this dish my new go-to comfort food dish.
I will be making this again soon – I am not a huge eggplant fan so I might make a non-traditional version with more squash and red bell pepper.
Ratatouille
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into large pieces (about 1 inch by 1 inch)
- 3 cups of cubed zucchini
- 2 cups cubed eggplant
- 3 large tomatoes, cubed
- 1/2 cup dried tomatoes, chopped
- assortment of herbs – thyme, oregano, parsley ( I used whole sprigs of thyme and pulled them out once it was done cooking)
- salt and pepper to taste
Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and heat. Add garlic and let soften for a minute – don’t let it burn! Add eggplant and a pinch of salt. Let cook down for about 2 minutes. Add red bell pepper, salt and pepper and cover. Cook for 10 minutes on medium low heat.
Add tomatoes and zucchini. Gently stir. Add herbs and stir. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. You might have to add a little water if it is too thick.
Serve in a big bowl with fresh crusty bread and a nice bottle of red.
The Clean Eating Mama 