End of Summer Veggie Stew
Here in Ontario we have been blessed with amazing summer weather and even more amazing local fruit and veggies. I have been getting so many incredible veggies from my garden, local farms, and family gardens. To be honest it has actually been a little too much, which has forced me to do A LOT of meal prep and cooking (because I really don't like food waste).
One of my favourite dishes growing up was pepperonata. Pepperonata is a southern Italian inspired dish made with lots of bell peppers. My family has always made pepperonata with tons of different garden veggies and is how I continue to make it, so my recipe is a spin on this Italian classic.
You can call this recipe peperonata, veggie stew, or even ratatouille, either way it's a delicious and nutritious mixture of fresh summer veggies and herbs. I like to eat mine as is or use it as a sauce. This week I will be making gnocchi and using this peperonata as the sauce.
If you have garden veggies taking over your counter top, this is a must make recipe. Get creative, use the veggies you have on hand and let me know how it turns out.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 bell peppers, sliced
1 egg plant, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
5-6 tomatoes, chopped or 1 can chopped tomatoes
¼ cup fresh basil
1-2 tbsp. chili flakes or 1 banana pepper (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
In a pan on medium heat begin to sauté sliced onion in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and bell peppers. Season with some salt and black pepper.
Continue to stir and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
Add chopped eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Add basil, chili flakes, and more salt and black pepper (season to your liking).
Bring heat to medium-low and let simmer for 35-45 minutes. Keep covered or uncovered depending on how your veggies look. If the mixture seems very watery, keep uncovered most of the time.
Enjoy as is or over pasta!
Cheers to happy and healthy eating!
Until next time,
Eat Right Feel Right - Angela XO
