Ratatouille

Ingredients
(Yields 4-6)

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups medium diced eggplant
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini squash
1 cup diced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large dutch oven add the olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add the onions and garlic stirring occasionally until they are translucent and caramelized (about 5 to 7 minutes). Add the eggplant and thyme stirring occasionally until the eggplant is partially cooked (about 5 minutes). Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook for a final 5 minutes. It's ready to serve :)

Tips

This dish is delicious and colorful. It pairs perfectly with some gluten free basmati rice and some lean protein of your choice. Some helpful tips in preparing this dish are to chop all vegetables first before starting to heat your oil. Another tip would be to double the recipe, especially if you are cooking for a family of 5-6. If you are like me, there are days when you want a home cooked meal and don't want to prepare it. This is a great dish to freeze as leftovers for another day when time and energy is not your friend. Enjoy!