Ratatouille

I know a lot about cold weather.

I know about layers upon layers of snow. Shoveling? That’s for rookies… Get a snow blower. Harsh wind? No problem. Driving? Can pretty much do it with my eyes closed. Puffy jackets and snow boots? Freezing temperatures always provide some sort of cuteness. Snow angels and sledding? You’ve never experienced childhood if you haven’t wound up with snow in your underwear at some point.

I’ve always loved living in the North East where temperatures usually hover around 30 degrees for the majority of winter. I love those temperatures and everything that goes along with them… Hot chocolate, fires, fuzzy blankets, wool socks, skiing, chicken soup, vegetable soup, beef chili, vegetarian chili, yada yada yada. I dig it all.

Oh, and let’s not forget about those 5 extra pounds that are unavoidable totally necessary to keep you warm. Yup, winter is the best excuse for them.

With that being said, chilly temperatures require one more thing: ratatouille. Let’s explore.

Vegetables + olive oil + spices. It’s goodness. I love this meal for many reasons… And not just because it’s the name of a movie starring a cute little rat who dreams of one day becoming a French chef . Well, that’s sort of the reason. Because it’s really super darn cute.

This meal is reserved for those nights when you’ve got the sniffles and are thinking only about the warmth of flavorful vegetables and broth sliding down your throat and absolutely nothing else. Okay, Ryan Gosling exempt. Toss it over some quinoa or pasta and garnish with big basil leaves.

Ratatouille

(yields 6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

10-12 cups of zucchini and summer squash, chopped into slices

2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped

2, 15-oz cans of stewed tomatoes, drained

1 cup tomato sauce

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Peel and slice onion place in pan. Add garlic and saute until caramelized — about 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop zucchini and summer squash into pieces. Add to onion. Repeat step with sweet potatoes, then add to mixture. Reduce heat and allow to cook for 15 minutes.

Pour in stewed tomatoes, removing the liquid beforehand (the vegetables will produce a lot of excess water). Add in 1 cup tomato sauce, basil, pepper, and paprika. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes.

Once done, serve over quinoa or pasta. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Happy noming!