Tag: zucchini

Remy’s Ratatouille Recipe (Ratatouille)

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be cooking Remy’s Ratatouille from one of my favorite Disney and Pixar films, Ratatouille!

This recipe is featured near the end of the film when Remy is preparing a meal for the food critic, Anton Ego. It is referred to briefly as a “peasant’s dish”, but Remy’s version ignores all labels and boils down to good food that comforts the soul.

Ratatouille is warm and comforting; the perfect main or side dish for a cool or cold day. The arrangement of vegetables within the baking dish is creative and fun to do, although give yourself enough time to mise en place before beginning! Anyone can cook, bon appetit!

INGREDIENTS

VEGETABLES

  • 2 eggplant, trimmed and very thinly sliced
  • 6-8 Roma tomatoes, trimmed and very thinly sliced
  • 2 yellow squash, trimmed and very thinly sliced
  • 2 zucchini, trimmed and very thinly sliced

SAUCE

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped

HERB SAUCE

  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil 
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Slice the eggplant, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini into approximately 1-mm rounds (I used a mandolin when possible), then set aside.
  2. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. 
  3. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell peppers until soft (about 10 minutes), then season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated, then remove from heat, add the basil and stir again.
  5. Pre-heat the oven for 375 F.
  6. Arrange the sliced veggies in a repeating pattern (squash, zucchini, eggplant, tomato) on top of the sauce from the outer edge to the middle of the pan, then season with salt and pepper.
  7. To prepare the herb seasoning, mix together the basil, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. 
  8. Brush the herb seasoning over the arranged vegetables.
  9. Cut a circle of parchment paper and place it over the vegetables in the pan, then bake for 40 minutes. 
  10. Remove the parchment paper, then bake for another 20 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
  11. Enjoy!

Healthy Homemade Snack – Baked Zucchini Chips

I love a good snack, snacks are delicious! Are they good for you? Ehhh it’s always up for debate, but if you are going to eat something between meals, perhaps while you’re cozying up to watch a movie or play a game, why not make it a healthier choice?

I think most nutritionists agree that anything deep-fried should be consumed in moderation or not at all, but chips are sooooo good! The solution? Let’s create our own oven-baked chips! And not just potato chips, let’s create some delicious vegetable chips too! This way we are regulating exactly what is going into and/or on to our chips with no deep-frying to be found!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 4 large zucchini
  • Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 240 F.
  2. Wash the zucchini, then use a mandolin to uniformly slice them into thin chips.
  3. Place the zucchini slices on a clean dish towel or paper towels. Cover them with another dish towel or paper towels and set a baking sheet on them, pressing own slightly to remove excess moisture.
  4. After drying, place the zucchini slices into a bowl and toss them with olive oil and a few pinches of salt (how much depends on your preference).
  5. Coat a large baking sheet (or more) with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper.
  6. Place the zucchini slices on the baking sheets in a single layer.
  7. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until crisp and golden.
  8. Allow the chips to cool completely. 
  9. Enjoy!