Grilled Ratatouille Salad

Ratatouille is a marriage of heart healthy veggies, immune enhancing herbs, and cholesterol-lowering eggplant.

 3 large cloves garlic

1 lb (500 g) baby eggplant, cut into ½ -inch (1 cm) thick slices

2 onions, sliced into ½ -inch (1 cm) thick slices

2 zucchini, each cut into 4 thin strips

2 red peppers, cut into quarters, removing the seeds

3 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed, tops only

 

Bells and Whistles:

2/3 cup (150 mL) thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes, not packed in oil – see below

2 tbsp (30 mL) capers, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup (75 mL) fresh basil, torn into small pieces

1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh oregano, diced

2 tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil

 

1. Peel garlic and place whole in a piece of foil. Wrap loosely and set aside.
2. Preheat grill or BBQ on high.
3. There are a lot of veggies so you will have to cook them in batches. Put the eggplant and the onion on first. Reduce the heat to medium/high.
4. Grill, with the lid closed, on both sides, and yes, there isn’t any fat on them. They won’t stick if your grill is clean. Grill until both sides are slightly blackened. Remove eggplant first and place in a large bowl. Add the cooked onions on top. There is a method to my madness, keep on going.
5. Put the garlic, in its cute little foil package, the red peppers, zucchini, and the mushrooms on, gill side up. Watch the garlic, it only takes about 5 – 10 minutes to cook.
6. Grill the peppers and the zucchini until they are slightly blackened on both sides. Remove and put on top of the onions. How’s the garlic doing? Is it soft yet? If, take it off of the grill.
7. Flip mushrooms and grill till tender. Remove and place on top of the zucchini. The layering is going to help all of the veggies soften up without the aid of oil.
8. Back in the kitchen: cut all of the grilled veggies except the onions into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Put back into the bowl. Let sit while you make the bells and whistles section of the recipe.
9. The sun dried tomatoes have been thinly sliced, if you were following the recipe, so add them to the eggplant mixture.  Add capers, basil, and oregano. Toss well.
10. By this time the garlic will have cooled in its package. Remove and place in a small bowl. Smash it up using a fork, add oil and blend well.
11. Add to the salad and toss really well. Serve or let sit at room temperature for up to one hour.

 

Makes – 8-9 cups (2L- 2.25 L)

One serving = 1 cup (250 mL)

One serving contains: 98 Calories, 4 g Total fat, 0.6 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 110 mg Sodium, 14.5 g Carbs, 5 g Fibre, 7.4 g Sugars, 3 g Protein

 Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: ½ Carbohydrates, 1 Fat

 

Professional home economist tips:

·         Don’t worry about the exact sizes of the veggies – it will taste great no matter what it looks like. I gave you a weight for the baby eggplant but three baby eggplants will be about right.

·         This grilled salad makes enough for two dinners. Make it once, eat half, and then tomorrow toss with 2 cups (500 mL) cooked whole grain fusilli pasta. Sprinkle on 1 oz (25 g) finely grated Asiago cheese and dinner is ready

·          This tastes great the day of, but even better the next day.

 

Sun Dried Tomatoes

They come in two different versions – in a jar, in oil and in a bag, dried. We want the in the bag, dried version.

 

Health Tip:

Powerful herbs

Adding herbs like oregano to dishes will boost your body’s ability to fight bad bacteria.  Oregano is believed to have the most powerful antioxidant activity, at least gram for gram, than any other food.  But before you add 2 cups (500 mL) of oregano to your spaghetti sauce to reap the rewards, think frequency not quantity.