Picture this: It's a busy weeknight, and you've just arrived home after a long day. You know the kids are going to get hungry soon, so it's time to make dinner. The last thing you want to be doing is spending hours in the kitchen cooking and doing a ton of dishes. This healthy Italian vegetable bake saves you time and mess. It's a one-pan meal, and to make it even easier on yourself you can buy prechopped vegetables or prepare them yourself the night before.
Ingredients:
- 1 can (28 oz) tomatoes, whole
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1/2 lb. fresh green beans, sliced
- 1/2 lb. fresh okra, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or 1/2 of 10-oz package frozen, cut)
- 3/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped, or 1 tsp dried basil, crushed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed)
- 3 medium (7-inch-long) zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 medium eggplant, pared, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
1. Drain and coarsely chop tomatoes. Save liquid. Mix together tomatoes, reserved liquid, onion, green beans, okra, green pepper, lemon juice, and herbs. Cover and bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes.
2. Mix in zucchini and eggplant. Continue baking, covered, for 60–70 minutes more or until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.
3. Just before serving, sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Yield: 18 servings
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Each serving provides:
Calories: 27
Total fat: less than 1 g
Saturated fat: less than 1 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Sodium: 86 mg
Total fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 5 g
Potassium: 244 mg
The recipe is perfect as a side dish to a main course yet hearty enough on its own. Feel free to replace any of the vegetables listed with your favorites. And to make it more of a filling meal, add some protein like Italian sausage or ground turkey. And if you want to spice it up, chop up some jalapenos and throw them right on top. Enjoy!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©zoryanchik/Shutterstock.com.