On our way home from the Hamptons last weekend we stopped at a local farmer’s market on the side of the road. Joe loves zucchini, corn on the cob and eggplant (they are his favorites!), so we picked those out to cook with this week. While having my coffee this morning I thought it best to cook the vegetables today to be sure they are as fresh as possible. I adapted the below recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, using the organic peppers, garlic, and onions we bought. I decided to use the canned tomatoes like the recipe calls for and am saving my fresh tomatoes for a dinner salad. My recommendation is to make a couple servings of quinoa (packed with protein and nutrients!) and pour the Farmer’s Market Ragu over it when serving. It is simple to make if you follow the directions on the packaging. Quinoa is my favorite substitute for pasta and one of the most nutritious carbohydrates you can have. This recipe is super healthy because it calls for the least amount of olive oil possible in order to avoid extra fat. In one of my favorite books, Eat To Live, by Joel Fuhrman, he confirms you should only have as much oil in a day that you know you will burn off. So, its important to keep in mind how much oil you are using and try to substitute water or vegetable when possible. I hope you enjoy!
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 white onions, chopped
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 large zucchini — cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 16-ounce can roasted diced tomatoes
- 4 corn on the cob husks (I made 5 but one didn’t turn out well so I had to toss)
- 1 tsp. dried oregano (or more – add to taste)
- 1/2 cup minced fresh basil — or 2 tablespoons dried basil (or more – add to taste)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Parmesan (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Husk corn on the cob and rinse. Rub each cob with a smidgen of cooking spray and lay on a baking sheet. Place in oven for 30-35 minutes, turning the corn every ten minutes or so.
- While corn is in the oven, dice onions and place in large pot with olive oil. Saute until onions are translucent. Add a tablespoon of water along the way to be sure the onions don’t stick to the pot and burn. Remember, try to refrain from adding too much oil.
- Cut/dice the eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini and garlic and add to pot when the onions are finished sauteing. I didn’t use the entire eggplant because it was far too much (we picked a fairly big one!) I added as much eggplant as there was zucchini and set the rest aside to use for another recipe. If you purchase a medium eggplant and a large zucchini, you should be fine.
- Add two tablespoons of water and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Keep pot covered in between stirring.
- Add the canned tomatoes and stir, bringing the heat down to a simmer. Stir in the basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Remove corn from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to shave the corn from the cobs. Add corn to pot and stir.
- Serve in a bowl with a sprinkle of Parmesan!
Filed under: Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged: baking corn on the cob, bell peppers, clean eating, cooking light, corn on the cob, dairy free, eat to live, farmer's market, farmer's market ragu, gluten free, healthy living, joel fuhrman, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, zucchinir
