Waste nothing! Ratatouille: A one pot wonder

So if your never home long enough to eat all the fresh produce you buy, this recipe is for you. I travel a lot and sometimes I over estimate how much I can eat. Depending on the temperature of your fridge, produce has a very short shelf life. Certain things will go bad before others. Basil is a needy plant is only good fresh from the store or from your garden. The best basil you will ever have is the one you grow yourself!

This is a no brainer recipe, but I actually spotted something similar by Chef Jacques Pepin. The founder of the French Culinary Institute NY. Its my spin on Ratatouille. While the cute Pixar movie has put this dish on the pallet of many foodies. The origin of the dish is a humble one. It was served on the side, and often made with the left overs in the kitchen. It's a simple vegetable sautee, traditionally with onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, marjoram, thyme, basil etc. However Americans have adapted and added protein, since then it has also been know to be served as an entree.

Some of you ask, "how does one have time to cook to eat healthy?" I'll tell ya what, God invented refrigerators. NOT man, man only assembled it. Because it is simply a divine appliance. It's always more desirable to eat things fresh but c'mon, Only rich people have time to eat 100% fresh all the time. So yeah, I'm a humble teacher who only has time to cook once a week.--and shameful to say, sometimes once a month.

This is a stewish soup. It is very hardy packed with veggies and because you made it, you will feel great knowing exactly what is in it. This recipe is sugar free, gluten free and if you wish, protein free.

Before you impatiently scroll down past my very poetic ramblings to peep the recipe here is a few notes you'll miss if you do so...First of all with french cooking it is always important to mind the details. Each recipe starts with a mirepoix. This is chopping up onions, celery and carrots. It is crucial to always chop all of your veggies into the same size. This will allow them all cook evenly. plus it looks bad if they are oddly shaped. Secondly, Always add things that take longer to cook first. And thirdly, taste, taste, taste. Otherwise you'll end up with a huge pot of yuckiness...and you will feel like a fool and give up cooking forever.

ok onward to this SUPER SIMPLE RECIPE!!!

Ratatouille A La Linda

Ingredients:
for the Mirepoix
1 tbs Sesame oil (or any oil of your preference)
5 cloves of garlic ( I really love garlic)
1 onion diced
1 carrot diced
1 Celery diced

Into the broth:

• Organic Beef broth (you can make your own or use chicken broth, or veggie stock)

• 3 handfuls of brown or mixed grain rice

• 2 handfuls of lentils

• sea salt

• 1 tbs crushed red peppers (Capsaicin is healthy for you, if you want to avoid high sodium, add more pepper to mask the bland taste of low sodium).
  

• a generous pinch of thyme

• a generous pinch of safflower
  

• (add more spices to your liking. In this recipe i like to broth to be simple to let the veggies shine.
• the most important part is: ALL THE VEGGIES IN YOUR FRIDGE! Whatever you have that's fresh and left over chop it up. I had some bell peppers, asparagus, kimchi cabbage, potato, tomato.

Directions

• Mirepoix into the pot to saute for one min
  
• Pour broth into pot and bring to a boil. once boiled reduce temp to medium
• add in lentils and rice (they take longest to cook, stir occasionally to not stick to the pot
• add in all the spices. I just toss it in , but if you need measurements, 1/2 tbs of each will work.
  
• Chop up all your veggies
• add the ones that take longest to cook
• let your soup simmer on medium for 1o mins
• add in the veggies that cook fastest (this ensures they aren't over cooked and retain more nutrients)
• turn heat to low to simmer for 20 mins.
• taste to see if its seasoned to your liking. Scoop up some rice and lentil to taste, once they are cooked thoroughly, turn off stove and serve.

In my case I had left over salmon I broiled with lemon pepper and olive oil. So now my fridge is clean and my belly is warm. What to do with all that's left? immediately take what you can't eat now and put it in the freezer. section it off if your going to take some to lunch or eat it tomorrow. Don't forget to date it. Soup can last a week in your fridge.

I know its boring, but I eat this for lunch and sometimes for dinner too. I eat it for two weeks at a time everyday. I know the average person can't do that. I've programmed myself for the past 6 months to do this. I've coupled that with detox, and working out. I run 3 miles a day, 3-5 times a week. I've lost 61 lbs and still losing. I've come to prefer this boring meal. Its energy and its brainless. I don't have time to think about what to eat. I grab and go. I think this is far more beneficial then having to feel starving, then crave something, that like a really bad date, I'll regret in the morning. The fallacy is, "I work out more, I need to eat more." NOT TRUE. you just need more substance to your meals. Small portions more meals. I can't stress this enough.

Don't get me wrong, When I party, I go all out, and I eat. I'll call up friends and get the best restaurant food money can buy. But that's once a month. Its also practical, it makes eating out special. I use to eat out so much it was no longer an event, it was just part of life. How sad...don't be sad make yourself some warm soup to warm your belly on this sickeningly cold Northern California winter night.

Enjoy.