Fruit-Infused Ratatouille

This is perfect to mix and match your favourite vegetables minced if you don’t have all of these on hand. The sweetness of the fruit complements the fresh herbs and abundance of veggies. Serve over polenta, pasta, or as a side dish.

Ratatouille

Fruit-Infused Ratatouille

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
1 medium eggplant, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 field tomatoes, chopped
3 nectarines, pitted and chopped
3 peaches, pitted and chopped
1 small handful fresh basil, minced
1 tablespoon minced oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Fine sea or Himalayan salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and onion, sautéing until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, stirring until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, nectarines, and peaches, and let cook about 8 more minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in basil and oregano, then mix in tomato paste. Reduce heat, and let simmer until thickened.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Zucchini, Herb, and Roasted Tomato Salad

Fresh oregano, thyme and basil highlight this brightly coloured salad that delivers garden freshness into a single dish. Add a few cups of cooked cannellini beans and serve atop greens for a light lunch.

zucchini-salad

Zucchini and Summer Squash Salad with Fresh Herbs and Roasted Tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 medium tomatoes, cut in half (use any variety, as long as you love it)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 medium zucchini, sliced into strips with a vegetable peeler*
2 medium summer squash, sliced into strips with a vegetable peeler*
2 shallots, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted**
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon (15mL) olive oil and garlic. Spread onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with dried basil, oregano and thyme. Roast in oven until the tomatoes are tender and start to shrink, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let come to room temperature.

When the tomatoes finished cooling, toss the zucchini, squash and shallots with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the fresh basil, oregano and thyme. Toss with tomatoes and pine nuts, then season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

*When peeling the zucchini, peel only the outer edges, until you get to the seeds. The middle of the zucchini and squash won’t peel well. Reserve for other uses.

**To toast pine nuts, heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add pine nuts, stirring frequently, until they start to brown and are fragrant, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small dish to cool.

Dining at ‘Ohana in Disney World [gluten-free and vegan]

It’s no secret I love Disney World… and yes, I will get those 2013 reviews up soon!

But recently, I had the opportunity to spend one evening in Orlando, so I took full advantage of this and made dinner plans with my friend Sarah at one of my favourite restaurants!

Sarah runs a comprehensive gluten-free and dairy-free Disney World dining site… and, lucky her, she lives so darn close to the place that she goes ALL THE TIME.

ALL THE TIME.

Colour me jealous. Continue reading