Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean rabbit food! The dishes below are deeply satisfying, warm, and good for you—and best of all, simple! As you can see, they are all vegetarian and gluten-free, but go ahead and add lean cuts of meat wherever you like.
Ratatouille Skewers
These skewers are a different take on the French vegetable stew ratatouille, which cooks different vegetables together in a tomato sauce. You can make these on the grill when it gets warmer outside, or use your oven’s broiler. Metal skewers work better for these. If you use wooden or bamboo skewers, soak the skewers in water for at least 1 hour, then trim the exposed ends off once you skewer your vegetables.
Serves 4
1 small eggplant, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
1 yellow zucchini squash, cubed
2 red bell peppers, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 package button mushrooms (optional), washed, dried, cut in half
1 cup tomato sauce
Move a rack in your oven to the second-highest shelf under the broiler. If you have cooling racks or wire racks, place them on a large baking sheet—the skewers will rest on the racks.
Turn your broiler to HIGH. Skewer an equal amount of vegetables on each skewer (see note about skewers above) then place on the wire racks on the baking sheet. Insert in the highest rack in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until just beginning to char, then remove and use tongs to flip the skewers to the other side. Re-insert for another 2-3 minutes, keeping an eye on the veggies and removing at the first sign of char.
Heat the tomato sauce, pour ¼ cup of it on each plate, and rest each skewer over the tomato sauce. Dip the veggies in the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired!
Nutritional info per serving: 106 calories, 2 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 265 mg sodium, 840 mg potassium, 21.5 g carbohydrates, 6.6 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 4 g protein. 91% RDV Vitamin A, 24.5% RDV Vitamin B-6, 221.5% RDV Vitamin C.
Black Bean Salad
Munch this salad on its own, or as a base for building tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, or whatever you like! The beans have just as much protein as meat, and they’re much healthier and packed with fiber. Feel free to add whatever you like—bell peppers, fresh pico di gallo, or jalapeños, for example.
Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side, or multiple people as a base for tacos, quesadillas, etc
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
¼ of a red onion, finely chopped
Juice and 1 tsp zest of 1 lime (or juice of 3 key limes)
¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tsp taco seasoning
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. That’s it!
Nutritional info per serving (when serving 2) : 270 calories, 2 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 368 mg sodium, 719 mg potassium, 54 g carbohydrates, 14 g fiber, .3 g sugar, 14.5 g protein. 27% RDV Vitamin C.
Chickpea Stew
If you prefer lentils or another type of bean, you can definitely use that instead, but this stew is rich and hearty, and full of protein. Serve over (whole-wheat!) couscous or brown rice, or enjoy as-is.
Serves 4
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans chickpeas
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp lemon juice (plus 1 tsp zest)
¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Sauté the onion in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to soften and take on color. Add the garlic in the last minute of cooking, and stir to mix. Meanwhile, empty the chickpeas, tomatoes, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, and zest into a large saucepan or medium stockpot, stirring to combine. Add the onions and garlic, and simmer until heated through. Add the parsley just before serving.
Nutritional info per serving: 315 calories, 9 g fat, 506.5 mg sodium, 383 mg potassium, 53 carbohydrates, 11 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 12 g protein. 18% RDV Vitamin A, 41% RDV Vitamin B-6, 29% RDV Vitamin C.
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