A few years ago, and before the movie came out, I made Ratatouille from scratch. It was wonderful. But the recipe that I used (from Martha Stewart) was pretty complicated and took a long time. However, the first step was so good I remember thinking that it would be good all by itself. Last week I got a beautiful eggplant from farmers market (for only $1) and zucchini from my CSA basket. I knew I had to try my idea. I threw some sweet potatoes in the oven to roast at the same time and put the roasted zucchini and eggplant over it. It was tasty and very filling.For other great ideas for thrifty and healthy recipes, visit the Penywise Platter over at The Nourishing Gourmet.
Roasted Vegetables
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 lbs) cut into 1 inch cubes
4 medium zucchini cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme (or a few teaspoons dried)
1 tsp salt
Sweet potatoes washed and wrapped in tin foil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on the bottom rack. Toss together the eggplant, zucchini, 1/2 cup oil, thyme, and salt on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, on the top rack, tossing every 15 minutes, until vegetables are golden, and sweet potatoes are soft, about 1 hour. Depending on the size of your sweet potatoes they may need a bit more time.
The roasted eggplant and zucchini after cooking for an hour.To serve, cut open the sweet potato and slightly mash with a fork. Cover the sweet potato with the eggplant and zucchini. Serve with a green salad.
My CSA basket. A very full 1/2 bushel basket for $19. What a great deal and it's organic too.
