Health Kick: Ratatouille

I know at least some of you out there have resolved, with the beginning of the New Year, to be healthier. Now, you can go to the gym and do as many hot-rock yoga classes as you like, but we all know that a quality diet is the backbone of a healthy lifestyle.

I am the first one to admit that I am not the healthiest of people. I mean, I own and use a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking for God's sake. The butter in that book alone is enough to put a trainer in a coma. I'm also allergic to exercise, though I am an avid walker and have dabbled in running and yoga.

So, the moral of the story is that I am always looking for recipes that can help me incorporate more vegetables into my diet. This one, from my friend Deirdre, really did the trick.

It's a quick and flavorful dish that's delicious hot or cold, and that makes a colorful addition to your meals. The combination of the healthy fat in olive oil, and the nutrients present in the peppers, squash, and eggplant will make even the most carnivorous person's mouth water.

The Recipe:

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups finely-diced yellow onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups medium diced eggplant, skin on
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini squash
1 cup diced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Set a large 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then, add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature.

Squash and Spinach Gratin

For my mom's birthday, I decided to surprise her by cooking dinner and baking her a cake (see the previous post). I decided to make use of seasonal vegetables and make a butternut squash and spinach gratin, based on the recipe from epicurious.com. This dish combines the mellow taste of spinach with butter and onions and pairs it with butternut squash, topped with cream and parmigiano-reggiano. The result is an easy-to-make and hearty vegetable lasagna which is perfectly paired with a light or sparkling white wine.

The Recipe:

15 oz frozen leaf spinach, thawed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 pounds butternut squash (1 large), peeled, quartered, and seeded

First, cook your spinach according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain it of all water and set aside in a bowl. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then add the onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter, onion, and garlic to the spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cream and stir to combine.

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 9 inches--not glass). Cut the squash to separate bulb section from solid neck section, then cut pieces lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. (This is the hardest and most time consuming step, I promise).

Now, in the manner of making a lasagna, layer squash and spinach mixture in baking dish. For each layer, use about one fifth of squash and one fourth of spinach, beginning and ending with squash. Sprinkle top layer of squash evenly with parmesan cheese and cover with parchment paper. Bake until squash is tender and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the paper and bake gratin until browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.

That's it!

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-and-Creamed-Spinach-Gratin-236374#ixzz1d9v2ESHQ

My Own Butternut Squash Soup

This week has been pleasantly cool and autumnal, and I LOVE it. It's not too hot or too cold, you can be comfortable in either your summer or fall clothes, and you don't have to worry about melting every time you go outside. Fall is one of my favorite seasons: I love the feel, the look, the happy fall outfits, and the food.

Fall makes me think of apple and pumpkin pies, stews, mushrooms, baked goods, and apple cider. One of the best and most versatile autumn vegetables is the butternut squash, which can be prepared in unlimited and equally-delicious ways. This summer I prepared for my annual squash need by planting three squash plants in my garden. To my delight, they yielded about ten 1.5 pound butternut squashes. Needless to say, I will have to find new and innovative ways to prepare them in the weeks ahead.

The first thing I wanted to try was a butternut squash soup. I remember making butternut squash soup with my grandmother when I was a little girl. She had a big and beautiful old-fashioned kitchen in the turn-of-the-century house where she was born in Queens. There was a big iron stove and a faded wallpaper with green and gold glittering urns on it. The appliances and the furniture was from the 60s. We would bring out her special puree-wand and put it on the table. I'd kneel on one of the mint green plushy chairs to reach the table, and help to puree the squash.

Today, I went to my tiny and ill-equipped kitchen to make butternut squash soup. I had browsed some recipes, but didn't find one that shouted, "YES! Make me!" So, I created my own.

The soup was delicious and very unlike butternut squash soups I have had before. It was subtly spicy, but refreshing. Not one flavour was too overpowering, yet it was anything but boring.

This is my spicy, subtle twist on a fall favorite. Enjoy!

The Recipe:

2 1-1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into half inch cubes
4 cups water
1 beef boullion cube
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup shallots, diced
2 inches of fresh ginger, grated
2 tsps medium curry
2 tbsps butter
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cream

In a large pot, melt the butter and cook the onions and shallots on medium heat. Add the curry, ginger, and garlic and stir. Add the cubed squash and cook for about 8 minutes. Stir in the water and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you have a blender, puree the squash in small batches. If you are like me and do not have a blender or food processor, you can take an electric mixer to the mixture and blend it until all the squash has been pureed. If you find this difficult, you might want to hand mash the squash with a masher and then blend it.

Serve hot and with sour cream.

Photo credit: marthastewart.com