Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Garden Fresh Low Fat Ratatouille



Ingredients: 
2 tbsp olive oil 
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 large Vidalia (sweet) onion, quartered and very thinly sliced
1 small eggplant, cubed
2 green (or red, yellow, or orange) bell peppers, coarsely chopped
4 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped, or 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
3-4 small zucchini and/or yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 tsp dried leaf basil (double this if using fresh)
1/2 tsp dried leaf oregano (double this if using fresh)
1/4 tsp dried leaf thyme (double this if using fresh)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste


Directions:
1.  In a 4-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. 
2.  Add garlic and onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 to 7 minutes (you can cover the saucepan to “sweat” the onions for a while and speed up cooking). 
3.  Add eggplant; stir until coated with oil. 
4.  Add peppers and zucchini; stir to combine. 
5.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep vegetables from sticking.
6.  Add tomatoes and herbs; mix well. 
7.  Cover and cook over low heat about 15 minutes, or until eggplant is tender but not too soft.
* Serves 4