Ratatouille is a great side dish for any protein, and can easily elevate any dinner party or backyard cookout with friends. You can also make it ahead of time and serve it with any of your proteins choices for the week, making it simple to incorporate more vegetables in your diet. The secret ingredient in this recipe is using Japanese eggplant, as it does not have the same bitter taste of Italian eggplant, so you do not have to make it "weep" (sprinkle with salt and let it sit for an hour) before using to take bitterness out. INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic, minced
t tsp thyme
1/2 tsp marjoram
2 cups Japanese eggplant, cubed
1 red onion, cut in half and slivered
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large green bell pepper, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup zucchini rounds
1 cup yellow squash rounds
2 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and quarteredDIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix salt, garlic, and herbs with the oil in a bowl. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil mixture over the vegetables. Stir the vegetables to make sure they are evenly coated. Roast the vegetables for 15-20 minutes until they are tender and glistening.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE per 1 cup: 138 calories, 9.3g fat, 11.9g carbohydrates, 1.75g protein