Ratatouille

Ratatouille with Chicken and brussels sprouts

I was never really a fan of eggplant when I was a kid. The way my mom prepared it (in a very
traditional chinese way, stuffing it with a fish paste - the fish equivalent of ground meat - and then pan frying it) just didn't do it for me. It was oily and slimy and just ew.

But then, I learned that eggplant is not just eggplant. It's really how you cook it and what you cook it with. It really does take on the flavors of what you cook it with. Which is probably why I like the eggplant heavy ratatouille. It absorbs the flavors of the aromatics and with the other ingredients, has a great texture. The zucchini, squash, and mushrooms (if using a meatier variety one like shitake or portabello) gives it a really nice texture - a chewiness that's not gummy.

The only issue I have with this recipe is that there's no real way to make just a little bit.... and I'm the only one in my household that likes the primary ingredients in it.

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium to large eggplant (peeled, sliced the firm narrower neck part and cut into 1/2 inch cubes the bulging bulb part). 
• 5 medium tomatoes (4 sliced, 1 diced)
• 4 zucchini (3 sliced on a diagonal, 1 diced)
• 1 medium yellow squash (sliced on a diagonal)
• 2 cups of mushrooms, roughly cut (I use shitake or portabello)
• 1 bunch fresh basil, cut into thin strips
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced. 
• 1 small onion, diced
• Olive oil
• salt (kosher preferred) and pepper

Optional: If you're not concerned with it looking pretty, just cut everything into chunks (dice).  This is the more authentic "rustic" version of the dish.  Also, you can vary the herbs used. This dish traditionally uses herbs de provence. Also, it some recipes call for tomato sauce at the base of the dish, but I wanted something that was a little more delicate. 

Instructions: 

Toss 2/3 of the basil, the minced garlic, and 3/4 of the onion with the other diced ingredients in a bowl with about 1 tbsp of olive oil and a liberal amount of salt. Spread it into the bottom of the pan. 

Layer the sliced zucchini, tomatoes, and eggplant on top, occasionally tucking the remaining basil between the layering pieces. This will pretty much fill the pan up to the brim... if not a little over. Don't worry about over-filling the pan, the ingredients will actually cook down in the oven. 

Drizzle some olive oil on top and a generous sprinkling of salt and crushed black pepper. 

Bake in a 350° oven for 35 - 45 min. Contents will be hot and bubbly, but the top should be on the drier side. Optional: Sprinkle on some grated parmesan cheese when serving. 

Note: the eggplant and tomatoes will cook down and release a lot of moisture. DO NOT add any liquid to this dish if you want it to have that nice thick stew consistency. The only exception would be to add a thin layer of tomato sauce between the diced veggies and the layer of sliced ones. 

Got leftovers? Not a problem! This dish actually tastes better after the individual flavors get a chance to mingle with each other. :) 

Serves: 12
Cal per Serving: 75

Beef & Mushroom Stuffed Tomatoes, Zucchini on spinach with peas

These savory stuffed tomatoes and zucchini are the center pieces of a warm spinach salad. A touch of pesto and an over easy egg (fried on a non-stick skillet with a spray of PAM) served as the dressing (there's just something really satisfying with a runny yolk). I added lightly sauteed snap peas to the salad for the "crunch" factor (instead of croutons).  

Plate as pictured: 388 cal

Ingredients: 

1 lb 90% lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

2 cups chopped mushrooms (cut as fine as you'd like)

1tsp olive oil

Dash of soy sauce

1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic

4 medium tomatoes
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise
Salt and Pepper to taste

Using a paring knife, core the tomatoes; scoop out the gooey insides with a melon baller or spoon.
Cut the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the fleshy center where the seeds are (if you want smaller zucchini pieces, cut in half across as well). Make sure to leave some of the seedy flesh at the ends so that you're making a zucchini boat for the filling.  Set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the onions with the olive oil. When they begin to caramelize and turn translucent, add the mushrooms, garlic, and soy sauce. As the mushrooms cook down, season your ground beef with salt and pepper. Then, add the meat to the pan to brown throughly. Since this is 90% lean beef, there will be little need to drain the meat afterward.  Once the meat is cooked through, remove from heat. Spoon the meat-mushroom mixture into the tomatoes and zucchini.

Note: You will have quite a bit of filling left over. There's enough filling for 12 - 16 small/medium tomatoes. The ones pictured here are tennis ball sized tomatoes. 

Arrange in a baking dish. Bake in a 375° oven for 12 - 15 minutes. The tomatoes will be soft at this point and the zucchini still al dente.

If you're not a fan of either tomatoes or zucchini, or would rather have more meat in the meat-to-veggie ratio, consider stuffing bell peppers or using the filling in lettuce cups.

Each stuffed tomato is about 75 cal.
Each zucchini quarter is about 90 cal.