Ratatouille

Ratatouille is the perfect healthy comfort food that nourishes the body, mind, and soul. The warm veggies bubbling in a rich savory sauce make it a wonderful meal that is enjoyed by family and friends alike. It pairs well with soup, salad, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or any veggie side dish. Ratatouille also freezes well which means you can cook in advance and have it on hand for any last minute dinner needs.

In Liver Rescue, I share how each of these ingredients can support you and your loved ones in healing. Let’s take a look…

Zucchini: Very similar to cucumber in certain ways, as it is also a fruit that’s helpful for liver hydration, which allows the liver to store micro pockets of water that it can later release back into the bloodstream during moments of chronic dehydration in your life. Zucchini have a mild liver purging effect, allowing the liver to squeeze out poisonous troublemakers safely. It’s also soothing to the intestinal tract walls, pushing out pathogens such as bacteria and fungus, allowing for better absorption of nutrients that can be sent up to the liver. Zucchini is a beneficial gallbladder food, containing phytochemicals that actually reduce gallbladder inflammation.

Eggplant: Often shunned due to confused belief systems about nightshades, eggplant is more worthy than we are led to believe. It can help us more than anyone knows; the only reason it’s avoided is because we don’t understand it. In truth, eggplant has small quantities of an undiscovered astringent phytochemical that improves blood flow to the liver, allows oxygen to be maximized inside the liver, and helps prevent all manner of disease. Eggplant also has phytochemical compounds that bind onto vitamin C, making it more bioavailable to the liver and the liver’s personalized immune system. Eggplant thins out dirty blood filled with fats and poisons, which can help stop blood clots from occurring inside our veins and eases the heart, too, allowing it to not overwork as it pumps.

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini 
• 1 large yellow squash 
• 1 eggplant 
• 1 red bell pepper 
• 4 cups cooked quinoa (optional) 

TOMATO SAUCE

• 4 tomatoes, roughly diced 
• 1 yellow onion, roughly diced 
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (see Tips) 
• ½ teaspoon sea salt 
• ½ teaspoon dried basil 
• ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning 
• ¹⁄8 teaspoon curry powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Thinly slice the zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, and red bell pepper into rounds. Set aside. 

To make the tomato sauce, combine its ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Stir frequently for 2 to 3 minutes until the tomatoes have released their juices. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes until the tomatoes have started to break down. Using an immersion blender, puree the tomatoes until a chunky sauce forms. Alternatively, you can use a standing blender for this step by pulse blending and leaving an opening at the top to allow the steam to escape. 

Place a cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and spread it to coat the bottom. Layer the zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, and red bell pepper slices in whatever pattern is desired. Cover the baking dish with parchment paper and place in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Serve the ratatouille topped with the remaining tomato sauce, over a bed of quinoa if desired.

Tips:

*This tomato sauce freezes well and can be kept on hand for quick, easy meals anytime. 

*If you use store-bought tomato paste, make sure it doesn’t contain citric acid. 

*For an even faster version, roughly dice the zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, and red bell pepper, mix in the tomato sauce, and cook everything in a baking dish for 40 to 60 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.

Makes 4 servings

Find out more undiscovered properties of healing foods and how they support the liver, check out my bestselling book, Liver Rescue.

This item posted: 26-Jan-2019

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