Shrimp Ratatouille

You are walking through your local farmer's market, and the most beautiful deep purple eggplant is capturing your vision. But, what do you do with it? Eggplant Parmesan is good, but not very creative. This summer, frequent your farmer's markets, utilize the fresh zucchini and peppers from your garden, and try this recipe (with eggplant)...Shrimp Ratatouille.

I cannot get enough of it!

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 yellow pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and quartered

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper, to taste

1 pound large shrimp, cleaned, shelled, and deveined

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until tender. Add garlic, and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Add eggplant, zucchini, and peppers. Cook about 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.

3. Add thyme, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet. Add shrimp and cook until all shrimp have turned pink. Stir shrimp into vegetable mixture.

5. Serve ratatouille on plates, and garnish with fresh mint.

Black Bean, Corn, and Quinoa Salad

Happy post 4th of July! The Fourth is one of my favorite days to celebrate. Among obvious reasons, it brings me back to blowing up fireworks in my backyard as a kid. My dad would ignite the first sparks of each firework with his celebratory cigar. To this day, the smell of cigars make me think of Independence Day.

I made this amazing salad for my dear friend's bachelorette 'Downer Classic' picnic last weekend. I got so many requests for the recipe, so I thought this would be the best place to share. Combine black beans (I like to make mine from dry beans over the stove - less sodium/processing), sweet corn, and protein-packed quinoa with fresh cilantro, tomatoes, and avocado from your garden or local Farmer's Market. Summer is a time to bring 'fresh' to your table - and this recipe is a great place to start!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup quinoa
1 1/3 cup water
2 cups black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups sweet corn
1/2 red onion, halved and sliced
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime
2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
2/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine black beans, corn, onion, cumin seeds, and feta cheese. Add olive oil and fresh lime juice.

3. Add tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado just before serving. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Dad's Special Pasta

One of my favorite things in the whole world is coming home to one of my dad's meals. He makes up all of his recipes. Don't get me wrong, my mom cooks amazing dishes, and I wouldn't have such a passion for food if it were not for her. Perhaps it is the surprise of hearing, "Dad's making his special meal" that makes my mouth water. Certainly, your mouth will start watering too when smells of garlic, sauteed peppers, and fresh herbs swirl through your kitchen. This one's for you, dad...your famous dish.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 pound thick-cut egg noodles
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green peppers, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
1 sweet onion, halved & sliced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 mild Italian sausages
1, 24-oz jar spaghetti sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh basil, chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and garlic. Add sliced peppers and onion. Saute until you can cut the peppers with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente. Drain pasta, but do not rinse.

3. Grill Italian sausage until cooked through. Cut sausage into 1/2-inch slices. Add to vegetable mixture.

4. Heat spaghetti sauce. Pour into vegetable/meat mixture. Add pasta.

4. Pour pasta mixture on a large serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh basil, salt, and pepper.

Guess what? You are now a chef...this recipe is definitely a crowd-pleaser!

BBQ Lentils

I know what you are thinking. Chocolate and black beans were one thing, but homemade BBQ and lentils? I was having a 'kid moment' where I had a taste for BBQ, but I also wanted lentils. So, I thought, I have to try and combine the two! Guess what? This dish is pretty outstanding.

If you are willing to experiment out of your comfort zone, I challenge you to try this recipe. Lentils are an inexpensive legume that are high in fiber, protein, and B-vitamins. While there are several varieties of lentils you could choose to make this recipe, I chose red lentils hoping to keep the dish more red, in color. Green, yellow, or brown lentils will also work well.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 cup lentils

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 garlic cloves, 1 minced, 1 whole

1 small onion, diced

1 small sweet potato, diced

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pinch ground ginger

1/4 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 dash Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan, boil lentils with 3 cups of water and 1 garlic clove. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until lentils are tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and minced garlic, and saute until onions are caramelized. Add sweet potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Add cayenne pepper and ginger to sweet potato mixture until well mixed.

4. Add ketchup, mustard, sugar, vinegar, and salt to sweet potato mixture. Simmer.

5. Drain about half of the water remaining in the lentil mixture. Add lentils and remaining water to sweet potato mixture.

6. Simmer until slightly liquid thickens, about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Black Bean Brownies

Need a chocolate fix? Don't want the guilt? I could give you many suggestions, but this is one of my favorites to share because black beans and chocolate are such an unlikely combination. However, the two ingredients pair very nicely together.

Black bean brownies are one of my 'go-to desserts', and this recipe is likely one of the easiest you will find on my blog. While I like to make everything from scratch, this recipe is so foolproof and delicious you'll be keeping recipe contents on-hand at all times. The texture is slightly different than regular brownies, but do not be afraid!

Try serving warm with low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt.    ...Are you ready for this?

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed

1 cup water

1 box brownie mix

1/2 cup chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Place rinsed black beans and water in a food processor until pureed.

2. In a large bowl, stir black bean mixture, brownie mix, and chips until well combined.

3. Pour brownie batter into a baking dish as indicated by brownie mix box.

4. Bake brownies at temperature indicated on the box.