Ratatouille

Ratatouille originated in the 18th century in the region of Nice. The word comes from the verb “to stir it up”. Basically, it is a chunky stew that was made to use up the last of the Summer Vegetables. It is a great entree or side dish that pairs well with a GF pasta, zucchini noodles, quinoa or just as a healthy snack. GF, V, VG

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 lg yellow onion chopped

2 eggplants ( approx 1lb)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cloves of garlic minced

2 cups of cherry tomatoes ( or 1 can of diced tomatoes w/ juice)

1 bell pepper ( red or yellow) seeded and cut in strips

2 medium zucchini cut in half and sliced

1/2 cup olives drained ( optional)

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme ( 1/2 tbsp dried)

1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence

1 teaspoon of sweet paprika

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

Ground pepper

1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

Fresh herbs to garnish ( basil, thyme, fresh oregano)

Instructions:

In a dutch oven or large sauce pan heat olive oil and add garlic, onion, zucchini, bell pepper and eggplant. Sauté for 10 minutes.

Add in your paprika, oregano, herbs de provence, thyme, salt and stir until fragrant.

Add in the tomatoes and olives and stir well.

Cover and cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and add garnish of fresh herbs or even some toasted pine nuts or pepitas.

Bon Appetite !

Note: This dish should be on the thick side, but if you have used the fresh cherry tomatoes and it needs a bit more juice, just add in half a can of diced tomatoes with juice.

Health Benefits : High in fiber, B6, Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, antioxidants etc. An all in one healthy dish!

Veggie BBQ Skewers with Vegan Dipping Sauce

Summer is the perfect time to gather with friends and family, enjoying the outdoors and indulging in healthy, delicious meals. These vibrant veggie BBQ skewers, paired with a tangy vegan dipping sauce, make for a fun and nutritious addition to your summer meals.

Ingredients

Vegetables for the Skewers:

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 cup button mushrooms, halved if large

Marinade

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp tamari (GF) or low sodium soy sauce

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dreid oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Vegan Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup vegan mayo

1 tbsp sriracha or hot sauce (adjust to taste)

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions :

Wash and cut all vegetables as described above

Make the marinade:

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

Marinade the Veggies:

Add the cut vegetables to the bowl with the marinade. Toss to coat all the vegetables evenly.

Let the vegetables marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for more flavor.

Assemble the Skewers:

Thread the marinated vegetables onto skewers, alternating different types for variety.

BBQ Method:

Preheat your BBQ grill to medium-high heat.

Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and slightly charred.

Alternative Cooking Method (Oven)

Preheat your oven to 425°F

Place the skewers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and slightly browned.

Make the Vegan Dipping Sauce:

In a small bowl, whisk together the vegan mayo, sriracha, lime juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Serve the veggie skewers hot with the vegan dipping sauce on the side.

Note: You may also add Tofu, shrimp or another protein of choice to your skewers before cooking.

Lisa's Favorite Summer Rolls w/ Simple Peanut Sauce

Summer rolls have always been on my top list of one of my favorite foods to eat. I remember having my first one many years ago in NYC at a famous Vietnamese restaurant downtown. I thought I’d gone to heaven. Such an explosion of refreshing flavors and to top it off, the ingredients are clean, healthy, and low in calories.

Ingredients

6 -8 Lg Spring roll rice wrappers

4 oz of thin cooked vermicelli rice noodles ( follow directions on package, when cooked and rinsed in cool water add in 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil to keep from sticking)

6 -8 butter lettuce cups, ribs removed ( I have also used soft collards greens w/ out ribs as well)

1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage ( use a mandoline for really fine shreds)

2 carrots peeled and jullianed ( or cut into thin matchsticks)

2 mini cucumbers sliced into long strips ( I sometimes de-seed them to lower water content)

2 scallions thinly sliced

10 mint (or basil) leaves thinly sliced or kept whole

1 Watermelon radish sliced very thin ( optional)

4 oz sliced tofu or 6-8 cooked cleaned shrimp sliced in half top to tail (optional)

Simple Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp of LOW sodium soy sauce or tamari

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1/4 tsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp grated ginger ( optional)

1/4 tsp sriracha ( or more to taste)

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil ( optional)

1-3 tbsp water

Squeeze of lime

Instructions

Making the Sauce: Whisk in a small bowl the peanut butter, tamari, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, and sriracha. While whisking, add slowly 1 tbsp at a time of water to reach your desired consistency. You also may put all the ingredients in a small blender to combine

Assembling the spring rolls : Arrange in an assembly line all your prepared fillings in small bowls ( or your Tupperwares if you have prepped before)

Fill a 9" pan or flat skillet with about 1-2 inches of warm water. Get a lint free dish towel, open it up and place it flat near the pan.

Place 1 rice paper in the pan and let sit in water for about 5-10 seconds. You will feel when it’s pliable but not too soft. Lift carefully and lie it flat on the dish towel.

Add lettuce towards the bottom of the rice paper. Leave 1 to 1½ inches of space on either side of the rice paper. Add your chopped mint, scallion and or basil. Lay across small amounts of your sliced vegetables on the lettuce. Try to not add too much because it will be harder to roll and might tear your rice paper. Add the noodles across the vegetables, and spread evenly .

Add tofu or shrimp in the middle of the rice paper. You can layer a few of the watermelon radish here as well.

Fold the left and right sides of your rice wrap towards the middle so that it's snug. Then fold the bottom up to cover the noodles. You want to keep the roll tight, so lightly squeeze it together as you roll. Continue to roll upwards to finish the spring roll.

NOTE: When you lay out your rolls don’t have them touch or they will stick together. Cling wrap will keep them seperated and also fresher. You can separate each roll by weaving the cling wrap over and under each roll. A huge time saver if you don’t need to wrap each one individually! If you are laying them out on a platter ( seperated) I dampen a thin, clean cotton dish towel and lay that over them to keep fresh and moist until serving ( within the hour)

You can also get creative and add in some mango, sprouts, and avocado.