It’s nearing the end of our garden and we brought in a killer harvest of eggplant and tomatoes. While I plan on roasting some to freeze, I did make a great batch of this ratatouille, as well this great tomato eggplant and cauliflower stew. Eggplant has a meaty texture to it and takes on other flavors very easily. We still had some zucchini, gorgeous tomatoes, and fresh basil growing so we threw it all in a pot, and out came this delish creation. 
Did you know that tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and reduce inflammation? This stew is awesome for those with heart disease and diabetes, as all of the veggies in this, helps to combat both diseases. This can be made into a meal or served as a side dish. If you make this into a meal, add in some chickpeas or another favorite bean and some greens to make sure you get all of your nutrients. This made a good sized pot of stew. If you don’t want to make so much, reduce it by half. If does, however, this freezes very well. Nothing is better than enjoying your summer/fall veggies on a cold winter night! We served this on a recent holiday and it got gobbled up quickly!
To make this stew into a meal, add in some chickpeas and some greens. This will boost the protein in the stew, as well as calcium and create a complete plant-based meal.
*We don’t saute any of the ingredients. By placing the tomatoes into the pot first, you release enough moisture to prevent sticking, and avoid having to use added oil.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of onions
- 8 cups of tomatoes (we didn’t peel them)
- 8 cups of eggplant, peeled and cubed (from 2 medium sized eggplants)
- 8 cups of zucchini, cubed (about 1 medium-large zucchini or 3 small ones)
- 4 cups of peppers, can do red and green or just green
- 1 cup of banana peppers, or can do a poblano pepper for some heat
- 3-4 tbsp of chopped garlic
- 3 tsp dried thyme, or 3 tbsp fresh thyme
- 3 tbsp dried oregano, or 1/2 cup of fresh oregano
- *optional-fresh basil, a few cups if you have it, if not that’s ok 🙂
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- *additional ideas: chopped parsley for garnish, chick peas for added protein, and 4-6 cups of chopped fresh greens like kale to be stirred in at the end
Instructions:
- Place onions in pan with a little water to prevent sticking. Sauté for a little until onions soften.
- Add remaining ingredients, except basil and greens, into a large soup pot, placing tomatoes in first to provide liquid.
- Cook on medium until tomatoes release their juices, stirring to make sure the veggies don’t stick. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables have softened, around 30-40 minutes.
- If using fresh herbs and greens, stir in.
- Serve topped with fresh chopped parsley. If desiring this as a meal, add some protein rich chickpeas and some greens right at the end of the cooking process.
Nutritional Benefits:
- Plant-based and gluten free-reduces inflammation
- Plant-based protein-even without the addition of greens and beans this has 4.4 g protein/serving. Adding in greens and beans will boost this higher, as well as calcium content. By eating plant-based protein, your body will not cause spikes in blood sugar, and maintain a less acidic environment
- High in fiber, 8.5 g: great for regulating blood sugar, digestive health, satiety, and reducing inflammation
- High in antioxidants: tomatoes,zucchini, & peppers are packed with Vitamin C, 169%/serving: great for boosting immunity and decreasing inflammation, preventing cancer
- Lycopene-a pigment found in tomatoes that has been shown to lower overall cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, as well as improving bone health and preventing osteoporosis and cancers
- High in potassium, 893 mg/serving-great for regulating kidney and nervous system function, as well as reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and improve overall heart function
- 4 cups of onions
- 8 cups of tomatoes (we didn't peel them)
- 8 cups of eggplant, peeled and cubed (from 2 medium sized eggplants)
- 8 cups of zucchini, cubed (about 1 medium-large zucchini or 3 small ones)
- 4 cups of peppers, can do red and green or just green
- 1 cup of banana peppers, or can do a poblano pepper for some heat
- 3-4 tbsp of chopped garlic
- 3 tsp dried thyme, or 3 tbsp fresh thyme
- 3 tbsp dried oregano, or ½ cup of fresh oregano
- *optional-fresh basil, a few cups if you have it, if not that's ok 🙂
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- *additional ideas: chopped parsley for garnish, chick peas for added protein, and 4-6 cups of chopped fresh greens like kale to be stirred in at the end
- Place onions in pan with a little water to prevent sticking. Sauté for a little until onions soften.
- Add remaining ingredients, except basil and greens, into a large soup pot, placing tomatoes in first to provide liquid.
- Cook on medium until tomatoes release their juices, and then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables have softened, around 30-40 minutes.
- If using fresh herbs and greens, stir in.
- Serve topped with fresh chopped parsley. If desiring this as a meal, add some protein rich chickpeas and greens right at the end of the cooking process.
So glad you posted this. I have two beautiful eggplants sitting on my counter waiting to be used ( trying to avoid making parmigiana) to avoid cheese and this is perfect!
Keep posting!
So glad!!! It freezes great too!