Month: July 2023

Ratatouille Fusilli

Ratatouille Fusilli

It all started with a bumper crop of eggplant. The old me would have whipped up a batch of eggplant parmesan with all the fried breading, mozzarella cheese, saturated fat and oodles of calories . The healthy me researched whole food plant based eggplant recipes. I found several on Forks Over Knives plant based nutrition site and decided to give Ratatouille Fusilli a try. I’m glad I did. What I like best about this dish is how simple it is to put together and how flavorful it is.

Eggplant, also known as aubergines, are often considered a vegetable but is really a fruit because they grow from a flowering plant and have seeds. We typically think of eggplant as purple in color but they can also be red, green or black. Eggplants are nutrient dense and packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber but very low in calories. Eggplants are high in anthocyanins which is a pigment responsible for their vibrant color but also a very potent antioxidant. Eggplants contain solasodine rhamnosyl glycosides (SRGs) which protect against certain types of cancers. There has been research to support SRGs effectiveness against skin cancer when applied directly to the skin. With all these health benefits, I’m going to make it a yearly tradition to add eggplant to my garden!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup green lentils washed and soaked
  • 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped leeks, both white and light green parts
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 unpeeled eggplant cut into 1″ pieces
  • 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
green lentils, canned diced tomatoes, leek, garlic, Italian seasoning, eggplant, white wine vinegar
My eggplant! Aren’t they beautiful??!!

Directions

  1. Place the lentils in a saucepan and fill with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil then simmer until cooked, about 10 – 15 minutes. Set aside but do not drain.
  2. Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
  3. In a skillet over medium heat combine tomatoes with the juice, leeks, garlic and Italian seasonings and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggplant and cook for 15 – 20 minutes stirring occasionally until soft.
  4. Add the pasta, lentils with their liquid and vinegar to the skillet and stir everything together until well combined.
  5. Cook until heated. Add 1/4 cup water if the mixture seems too dry. Adjust seasonings to taste.
  6. Add the basil and serve immediately.
Served with toasted pita bread

Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade

Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade

As a kid I loved rhubarb – but not in pie. I would sneak a stalk (or two) when my mom wasn’t looking, cut it up in little slices and savor the crisp tart flavor. Well I bought a little rhubarb plant this spring, put it in a whiskey barrel planter near the beehive and wow did it take off! Today I harvested 3 stalks and decided to kick off the 4th of July weekend by making ice cold Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade. At 83 degrees and a relative humidity of 93% that doggone ice cold lemonade really hit the spot!

Rhubarb is a hardy perennial that produces a harvest for up to 8 years. While the stalks are edible, the leaves are poisonous due to high concentrations of oxalic acid which can lead to kidney stones and kidney failure. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling rhubarb leaves or, better yet, wear gloves.

Ingredients

  • 3 stalks rhubarb cut in pieces
  • 1 cup fresh very ripe strawberries stems removed and cut in half
  • 5 cups water
  • Date sugar (to taste)
  • Lemon slices
  • Fresh mint leaves
Strawberries, rhubarb, lemon, mint, date syrup

Directions

  1. Pour the water into a medium cooking pot then add the rhubarb and strawberries. Cook until the mixture starts to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until soft.
  2. Pour the mixture through a strainer retaining the liquid. Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon mash the strawberries and rhubarb to get all the liquid out.
  3. Refrigerate the liquid until cool.
  4. When ready to serve, place the strawberry rhubarb liquid in a pitcher and add ice.
  5. Serve with date sugar (optional for added sweetness). Garnish with a lemon slice and mint leaf.

Note: As strawberries ripen their sugar content increases from 5% in unripe fruit to 6-9% in ripe fruit. Very ripe strawberries taste much sweeter.

A perfect, refreshing and all natural summer drink.
I love the pretty pink color!
And don’t you think of getting rid of the pulp! Drizzling a little date syrup over the warm pulp makes a delicious little dessert.