Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a perfect summertime side dish. French in origin, it consists of seasonal vegetables, including zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes, simmered with olive oil and herbs. One of my favorite things about ratatouille is that it is just as delicious when served cold as when served warm. I make up a large pot of ratatouille and then eat it as an easy, cool side dish throughout the rest of the week. Traditionally, ratatouille contains eggplant, but since no one in my family likes eggplant, I make my ratatouille without it.

Serves 4-6

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium white onions, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 bell peppers, chopped (red, orange, and/or yellow peppers work well in this dish)
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 yellow summer squash, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt (or less if your tomatoes are salted)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• One 18-ounce jar of Jovial diced tomatoes (or substitute fresh tomatoes)
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced (or substitute 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or substitute 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar)

Instructions

1. Put the olive oil in a 4-quart, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, chop the bell peppers, zucchini, and squash. Keep the peppers separated from the squash since they will be added to the pot at different times.
3. Stir the bell peppers into the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, mince the garlic.
5. Add the zucchini and summer squash to the pot, and sprinkle with the other 1 teaspoon salt and
   ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir it all together and cook for about 3 more minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mince the oregano.
7. Stir the garlic into the pot and cook for about 2 minutes, just until the garlic is nicely fragrant.
8. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, and oregano to the pot. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer.
9. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
10. Turn off heat and serve! Fried potatoes make a nice pairing with ratatouille. Leftover ratatouille is fantastic when served cold.

Reprinted from www.nourishedandnurturedlife.com.

Sarah R. Smith is Vice President of the Raw Milk Institute, a non-profit that educates about the benefits and farming practices of low-risk raw milk. Sarah is also a homeopathic practitioner and homeschooling mother of two teens. Since 2011, Sarah has written about real food and health on her website (www.nourishedandnurturedlife.com). As a homeopath, she works with children and adults to heal acute and chronic imbalances, leading to healthier, happier lives. Formerly, Sarah worked as a NASA Aerospace Engineer for a decade, prior to shifting her focus to health and wellness.

Published in the Journal of Health and Healing™
Spring 2024 | Volume 48, Number 1
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