Day 19 of the Kickstart

PCRM’s 25th anniversary is coming up in April 2010. The Art of Compassion Gala will feature gourmet vegan cuisine from some of America’s most renowned chefs. We’d love to have you join us! 

An easy pasta dish you can make with eggplant! If you don’t like eggplant, leave it out and substitute your favorite vegetable.

Recipe of the Day: Chunky Ratatouille Sauce
Makes 6 servings

This sauce is delicious when served over pasta shells, brown rice, or your favorite grain.

1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 small onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red wine, divided
1/4 - 1/2 cup water, divided
8 ounces cremini mushrooms
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes

Soak eggplant chunks in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and drain again. Braise onion, celery, and garlic in 1/4 cup wine. When vegetables are soft, add eggplant and 1/4 cup water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add more water if necessary to keep mixture from drying out. Add mushrooms, Italian seasonings, thyme, black pepper, remaining 1/4 cup wine, and tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Per Serving (1/6 of recipe) 
Calories: 88
Fat: 0.6 g
Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
Calories from Fat: 5.7%
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Protein: 2.7 g
Carbohydrates: 17.6 g
Sugar: 7.4 g
Fiber: 4.6 g
Sodium: 106 mg
Calcium: 52 mg
Iron: 1.9 mg
Vitamin C: 11.7 mg
Beta Carotene: 124 mcg
Vitamin E: 1 mg

From Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D.