Ratatouille

Erin,

Ever since the movie, "Ratatouille" came out, I have been dying to try this dish. And then I finally found it on Pinterest! It is super healthy and because its all veggie, it is a nice change from the plain chicken dishes I seem to make over and over. It was a lot simpler than I had originally thought, but it was fan-freaking-tastic. Highly recommended! And it's even better when paired with a glass of wine and some crusty bread for dipping ;)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, peeled & minced
2 cups chopped sweet onion
1 large zucchini, chopped into chunks
1 large yellow zucchini, chopped into chunks
1 Eggplant, peeled & chopped into chunks
1 red pepper, chopped (I had two in the fridge, so I threw both in their and it was fab!)
3/4-1 cup marinara sauce or chopped tomato (I had both on hand, so I threw in 2 chopped tomatoes and about half a cup of marinara)
1-2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, to taste
1/4 cup packed fresh basil, finely chopped
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large cast-iron pot or skillet, heat the oil, garlic, and onion over medium heat for about 5 mins, stirring frequently and reducing heat if necessary.
2. Add the chopped zucchini, eggplant, and red pepper, as they are ready to go in. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in about  3/4-1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce along with fresh herbs and tomatoes if you are using them
4. Cook until vegetables are tender, but still a bit firm and not overcooked – about 5-7 more minutes.