Ratatouille Soup

1 eggplant, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
1 yellow squash, cubed
1 sweet red pepper diced (I used dried pepper flakes)
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
3 cans chicken broth
4 cups water (possibly more for desired consistency)
2 cups whole wheat pasta, not cooked
1 can white northern beans, rinsed & drained
2 cans tomatoes or 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped (I pureed mine)
salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese as garnish if desired.

In large roasting pain, mix together eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, pepper, onion & garlic.

In a separate bowl, mix olive oil & Ital. seasoning. Mix with other veggies in pan until well coated.

Bake at 425 degrees approx 20 minutes until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally.

In a large pot, combine chicken broth & water. Bring to boil & add pasta. Return to boil & cook until pasta is tender. Reduce heat.

Stir in beans, tomatoes, & roasted veggies. Heat through.

Eggplant Nuggets

1 eggplant, skins removed
2 eggs, whisked together
1-2 cups bread crumbs (I used whole wheat)
extra virgin olive oil
seasonings if desired (mixed in bread crumbs)

Slice eggplant into nugget-sized pieces.
Coat frying pan with extra virgin olive oil
Dip in whisked eggs
Dip in bread crumbs
Fry each side of nuggets in pan until golden brown.
Drain on paper towel.
Serve alone or with ranch, ketchup, etc. if desired.

**Sometimes eggplant can taste a little bitter. To remedy this, follow the instructions by clicking HERE

Italian Zucchini

4-5 small zucchini, chopped into 2" cubes
2 small cans tomato sauce or 1 can diced tomatoes
2 Tbls butter or margarine
onion, chopped (optional)
salt, pepper, your favorite seasoning
approx 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Cut up 4 or 5 small zucchini into about 2 inch cubes.
Saute in about 2 tbls. butter until tender, but not mushy.
You can add onions if you like.
Season with salt and pepper, vegetable seasoning, garlic salt, and any other seasoning you like.
Add 2 small cans tomato sauce if you don’t like tomato chunks, or 1 large can diced tomatoes, or a few fresh tomatoes if you are lucky enough to grow them.
Heat through.
Just before serving, put a handful of grated cheddar cheese on top. Yum.

*This recipe came from my mom

Crock Pot Garden Stew

Excellent summertime recipe when you crave that garden-fresh taste!!
This recipe started out entirely different, so the measurements are all estimates.

1 bunch (approx 1 lb) Swiss chard (kale would also work great)
1 can white northern beans
2 cans tomatoes, pureed (I used 4 large fresh tomatoes)
Meat optional--original recipe was no meat (I added some mini pepperoni, also great with chicken, ground beef or sausage.)
Onion powder (to taste, approx 1/2 tsp)
Garlic powder (to taste, approx 1 tsp)
Salt to taste

Remove stems from Swiss chard. Chop & rinse. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Stir. Cook on low 3-5 hours, stirring occasionally. Optional cheddar or Parmesan topping when complete.