Celebrate World Vegetarian Day with Roasted Poblano Pepper Ratatouille

October 1 marks World Vegetarian Day, a day to celebrate the power of plants in improving public health. The plant kingdom — including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, herbs and spices — contains a whole cadre of game-changers when it comes to total body wellness.

Why are plants so good for you? Studies have shown that plant-based diets can help keep cholesterol levels, blood pressure and body weight in a healthy range. Plus, plants are packed with phytochemicals that can protect cells from damage and can help fend off cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. Therefore, it's beneficial to up the plants on your plate today for healthier tomorrow.   

8 Tasty Ways to Eat More Plants

  • Make a smoothie with plain yogurt, berries, ground flaxseed and a dash of cinnamon.
  • Top a slice of whole-grain toast with sliced apples and peanut butter.
  • Create a tasty salad of chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion and basil. Add garbanzo beans and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
  • Puree pumpkin, onions, cinnamon and nutmeg into a hearty soup.
  • Sprinkle chopped walnuts and frozen blueberries into a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.
  • Smear two tablespoons of hummus on a whole-grain wrap with vegetables.
  • Sauté tofu with a variety of colorful vegetables and serve over brown rice.
  • Plants can be spicy! Try the recipe below for Roasted Poblano Pepper Ratatouille.

Roasted Poblano Pepper Ratatouille Tweet this

Recipe by Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, LDN

Ingredients

  • 2 medium poblano peppers
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 small shallots, minced
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 2 small zucchini, diced
  • 2 small yellow squash, diced
  • 1 small eggplant, coarsely diced
  • Dash of salt
  • Kefir cheese or plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Directions

  1. Roast poblanos by cutting off tops and removing seeds and ribs. Using tongs, place peppers over an open flame on stovetop or grill. Rotate peppers as the flesh chars to a brownish black color. Once the whole peppers are charred, remove from heat and immediately place in a paper bag. After about 5 minutes, the peppers' skin will soften and the burnt layers will separate a bit. Remove peppers from the bag and use a paring knife to remove the charred skin. Discard charred skin and dice poblano peppersd.
  2. Add olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add poblanos, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant and salt. Stir until well combined. Cover, stir occasionally and sauté 10 minutes until all vegetables are tender, but not too mushy.
  3. If desired, add a small spoonful of kefir cheese or plain Greek yogurt to plated ratatouille to temper the heat and add a rich mouthfeel. Serves 4.

Cooking Note

  • Serve ratatouille with a hearty, crusty whole-grain bread; add it to scrambled eggs or tofu; or place it in a wrap or pita sandwich.
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Vicki Shanta Retelny

Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, LDN, is the Lifestyle Nutritionist — her Chicago-based practice focuses on lifestyle nutrition and culinary communications. Read her blog, SimpleCravingsRealFood.com, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.