Summertime Ratatouille- GF/V

If ever there was a throw together meal, it’s a classic summertime ratatouille (though this lemon bowl comes close too). Loaded with veggies, nutrients and full on flavor, you and your family will become addicted to this healthy dinner quickly!

Truth be told, I’m lazy in the summertime. Not with fitness of course, I love fast outdoor workouts (all I have time for as a busy mom!) as well as running but when it comes to dinner, I am all out lazy.

Who wants to spend their warm night in the kitchen?! I live in Canada and we get about two months of summer. So, the last thing I want to do is waste away inside when I could be settling in with a drink out back ?

So naturally, we do a lot of grilling.

However, I am also a nutrition freak <– it’s okay to say that because it’s true.

I want as many veggies in my meals as I can get! Which is why ratatouille is so amazing!

What Is Ratatouille?

You may be wondering what is ratatouille? And if you’ve never had it, I kind of want to give you a comforting hug friend.

Basically, ratatouille is a bunch of veggies (whatever you can get your hands on) made in a big pot with tomato sauce of some sort.

It’s simple, delicious and there’s not too much cooking involved.

This particular ratatouille recipe takes it a bit further and is served on spaghetti squash. But you get the basics.

The reason I serve it over the squash is simply that it helps stretch the recipe further if you’re trying to scale back your grocery bill.

That, and it never hurts to eat more squash! My daughters love helping me scrape out the “strings” haha.

I also love mowing down this recipe in super colorful bowls to match the colorful veggies. It sounds so so silly when I type it (and my hubby makes fun of me every time!) but there is something about all the colors I love!

Loaded With Veggies

And the reason why it’s one of my favorite dinner time recipes in the summer (aside from the lazy factor we established) is that it’s loaded with seasonal veggies!

Farmers markets are in abundance in the summertime and thus vegetables are cheap. I like to use up whatever we have kicking around in the fridge, or if I’m going out that day I grab ALL THE THINGS.

This ratatouille dish is just one of those things that you can’t eff up. It’s simple, loaded with nutrients and perfect for a warm summer night.

Plus, being that it’s filled with basic, real food, it’s also allergy friendly: dairy free, gluten free, nut free and vegan.

Every so often we’ll toss in some chicken if we have some left over or if we’re low on protein that day but otherwise this dinner recipe is perfect without.

I promise, you’ll never pop the question “what is ratatouille” again.

If you’re looking for even easier, healthy dinner recipes, check out The Busy Moms E-Cookbook, where I’ve gathered 30 healthy dinner recipes that can be made in thirty minutes or less. From easy vegan tacos to beef and quinoa chili, simple chicken pasta to a bok choy and mushroom bowl. These dinner recipes share a few things in common:

• They are healthy and simple to make
• All of the recipes are dairy-free or could easily be made dairy-free
• The majority of the recipes are gluten-free
• All of the recipes are real-food based and focus on nutrients not fillers
• They’re all tasty!

To make dinner-time even LESS stressful, I’ve also included several bonus tips on food prep, pantry staples and how to make healthy eating simple. Grab your copy of The Busy Mom’s E-Cookbook

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Ingredients In The Summertime Ratatouille Recipe

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ½ sweet onion, chopped
• 5 stalks celery chopped
• 3 small carrots peeled and diced
• 5 mushrooms sliced
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 jar tomato sauce (700mL)

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Colored bowls

How to Make The Ratatouille

Heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil

Slice your spaghetti squash, spoon out the seeds and place into the water.

Cook for 20-30 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove from heat and let cook slightly.

Meanwhile…

Prep your veggies: peel, slice or dice them all.

Heat the oil in a pan just over medium heat (about 6)

Add in the onion and garlic. Cook for three minutes and add in the Italian seasoning.

Cook for a couple more minutes until onion is clean and smells fragrant.

Add in the remaining veggies, stir and cover.

Cook eight minutes until veggies are semi tender.

Add in the tomato sauce, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

While the veggies are simmering, shred the squash with a fork to make “spaghetti”.

To serve, place the veggie mixture on top of the shredded squash.

Served 3 large or four moderate bowls.

Don’t forget to pin this gluten free dinner!

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Summertime Ratatouille- GF/V

A healthy, gluten free, vegan, summertime dinner recipe! Ratatouille is loaded with fresh vegetables and flavor.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 3 large

Calories 224 kcal

Author Fit as a Mama Bear

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ½ sweet onion chopped
• 5 stalks celery chopped
• 3 small carrots peeled and diced
• 5 mushrooms sliced
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 jar tomato sauce 700mL

Instructions

1. Heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil
2. Slice your spaghetti squash, spoon out the seeds and place into the water.
3. Cook for 20-30 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
4. Remove from heat and let cook slightly.
5. Meanwhile...
6. Prep your veggies: peel, slice or dice them all.
7. Heat the oil in a pan just over medium heat (about 6)
8. Add in the onion and garlic. Cook for three minutes and add in the Italian seasoning.
9. Cook for a couple more minutes until onion is clean and smells fragrant.
10. Add in the remaining veggies, stir and cover.
11. Cook eight minutes until veggies are semi tender.
12. Add in the tomato sauce, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
13. While the veggies are simmering, shred the squash with a fork to make “spaghetti”.
14. To serve, place the veggie mixture on top of the shredded squash

Recipe Notes

Makes three super large servings or four small.

Nutrition Facts

Summertime Ratatouille- GF/V

Amount Per Serving

Calories 224 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 118mg5%

Potassium 1019mg29%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 19g21%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 12010IU240%

Vitamin C 77mg93%

Calcium 148mg15%

Iron 2.5mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

There’s something about this healthy dinner recipe that is perfect for a warm summer night. I’m not saying you can’t fall in love with in the winter, I’m just saying that summer is better. Always ?