since friday night, book shelves have been thinned, stacks {and stacks} of magazines (all of which i intended to read- cover to cover... none of which have been) recycled, garbage bags filled, barbies purged, walls scrubbed, drawers- bins- closets- keepsakes- organized, ...4 large truck loads to the good will later... and this is only the beginning.
ryan's almost finished listening to simplicity parenting, and man- all we can think is- how the hell did life get so OUT OF CONTROL in the past 2 years??? how did we (we, who pride ourselves on deshittifying) accumulate so. much. sh*t?
much more to come on this topic, but for now, onto lighter fare...
ratatouille.
it was last night's dinner, and- talk about simplicity.
now that summer's just around the corner {10 more days!?!}, i am declaring that it be added to the weekly rotation (also a key learning from the aforementioned book, but more on that later).
zucchini... squash... tomatoes... basil... bell peppers... a summer garden, captured all in one pot.
{and so hearty & flavorful, the kids don't even remember just how "healthy" it really is... & just how many dreaded bell peppers are mixed in. we've been eating only vegetable-based dishes, and in an effort not to make two separate meals, we no longer omit them- or cut them super huge so they can pick them out... & tonight, for the first time- they both ate the entire meal- bell peppers & all! guess they figured it wasn't worth all of the effort to dissect each bite. proud parenting moment :).}
baked ratatouille
serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil (I used grapeseed oil, & then drizzled a little olive oil on each dish just before serving)
1 medium chopped red onion
1 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (used only a tiny bit)
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 bell peppers (used one yellow, & one orange), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch-thick half-moons
2 medium summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch-thick half-moons
2 (15-oz) cans beans- cannellini, chickpeas... (I used leftover pinto beans from a big pot I made on Monday night)
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried
20 basil leaves, torn in 1/2, plus a few extra for garnish (I had a lot to use up, so I used 30 leaves)
salt & pepper
2 tbsp grated parmesan, optional (I omitted this)
Preheat the oven to 400. Have a 3-quart baking dish ready.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the peppers and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the drained tomatoes, the zucchini, squash, beans, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, if using. Bake until bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes.
Garnish with a few fresh basil leaves & a lovely drizzle of olive oil.
good stuff, i tell ya.
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