This ratatouille recipe from Style at Home is a great way to use up the tomatoes and zucchini in your late-summer garden. I also added some leftover eggplant. Use a canned or jarred pasta sauce, your favourite homemade version, or make this one from Mario Batali.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
If you use a purchased tomato sauce, check it for preservatives. Make sure your dried herbs don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.
Slice tomatoes and zucchini (I also used eggplant)
Cover bottom of dish with tomato sauce
Layer tomatoes and vegetables over sauce and bake until tender
Ingredients:
½ cup (125 ml) pasta sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
¼ tsp (1 ml) each dried oregano and pepper flakes
2 small green or yellow zucchini sliced ⅛-inch thick (0.32 cm)
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp (2 ml) salt
¼ tsp (1 ml) pepper
1 small plum tomato sliced ⅛-inch thick (0.32 cm)
2 tbsp (30 ml) thinly sliced fresh basil
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 F (210 C). Spread pasta sauce in bottom of 5- cup (1.25 L) oval casserole dish. Stir in tomato paste and half of oregano and hot pepper flakes.
In large bowl toss together zucchini, tomato, oil, salt, pepper and rest of dried spices.
Arrange zucchini and tomato slices in casserole dish in overlapping, concentric circles. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the zucchini is tender, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before serving. Serves 4.
From Style at Home
This salad from Chatelaine is supposed to serve four, but it was so good the two of us ate it all in one sitting. This is a great way to use up the green beans, cherry tomatoes and fresh oregano from your garden.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
Use a red wine vinegar with no sulfites added, such as Eden Organic brand. Look for shrimp and feta with no additives or preservatives.
Whisk dressing ingredients together in a large bowl
Cook the beans in boiling water until tender-crisp
Keep the cherry tomatoes whole if they are small
Cook the shrimp until pink, about 3 minutes
Toss everything together and enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups (500 ml) trimmed green beans
12 oz (340 g) frozen peeled shrimp, thawed
4 cups (1 L) thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup (250 ml) crumbled feta
1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved if large
Preparation:
Whisk oil with vinegar, oregano and garlic in a large bowl until combined. Season with fresh pepper.
Boil a pot of water. Add green beans and cook until tender crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water and pat dry. You can boil the shrimp in the same water or sauté them in a pan with oil. Cook until shrimp turns pink, about 3 min.
Add beans and shrimp to dressing, along with romaine and onion. Toss until coated. Add feta and tomatoes. Serves 2-4.
From Chatelaine
