Who doesn’t love fancy looking?! And who doesn’t love SIMPLE?
I embrace both of these, let’s face it we eat with our eyes as much as our taste buds, and I really don’t have hours and hours to spend slaving over a hot stove.
Two delicious vegetables, halved with seeds scraped out and roasted create the perfect receptacle for a straightforward ratatouille that is full of taste and fibre filled.
Whether or not you are vegetarian it is great to have some simple non-meat recipes that you enjoy eating. Using vegetables as a base for the ratatouille is great if you are keeping your carbohydrate intake low, especially at dinner time.
The lentils make this a substantial and satisfying meal without feeling too full.
I’d really recommend you try this. The recipe is below but easily adaptable to what you have in the cupboard and your own taste preferences.
RECIPE:
The butternut squash needs about 30 - 40 mins in the oven roasting at 180C, the marrow needs about 15 mins, so just use the timer to stagger the cooking time.
For my lentil ratatouille you need:
1 onion
1 aubergine
1 courgette
1 pepper
4 cloves of garlic
Dice all the vegetables quite small and fry in a large pan, using extra virgin olive oil.
I add the onion and aubergine first for 10 mins, then the pepper and garlic, for 5 mins, followed by the courgette for 5 mins.
Once this is done, you can add into the pan:
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1 glug of red wine
2 tsp oregano or mixed herbs
1 tbsp capers
1 tin of green lentils (or you can cook from dried and add as you wish)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 tbsp olive or sun dried tomato tapenade, some red chilli, extra herbs,
Cook for about 20-30 mins on a lower simmer, so that flavours come together but the vegetables still have a slight bite.
Spoon into the roasted squash and marrow.
Sprinkle with feta (optional too!)
Put back in the oven for 10 -15 mins.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and zest of lemon
Serve with a simple green salad
You could make the ratatouille in advance, making a very easy way to entertain friends.
Simple. Delicious. Nutritious.