Ratatouille

This is a wonderful summer meal.  Especially in the August/September time frame because all of the ingredients are in season!  I made this in my thermal cooker from Saratoga Jack's.  My recipe is really big and I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
3 cups small diced yellow onion (or any kind of onion you have on hand)
2-4 teaspoons minced garlic 
4 cups medium diced eggplant, skin on
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 2-4 tsp dehydrated)
2 cups diced green bell peppers (or any sweet pepper..I used Biscayne the first time)
2 cups diced red bell peppers (or any sweet pepper)
2 cups diced zucchini squash (or any summer squash) 

2 cups diced yellow squash (or any summer squash)
3 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes (or 2 cans of diced tomatoes)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves (or 2 TBS dehydrated)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (or 2 TBS dehydrated)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (if you like pepper)

Directions:

• Place thermal cooker on stove over medium heat and add the olive oil.
• Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan.
• Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are transparent and lightly caramelized, around 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked. (around 5 minutes)
• Add the peppers, zucchini, and squash and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
• Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, water to the level of the veggies and boil for 2-3 minutes. Leave in thermal cooker for 4-8 hours.   
• Stir well after opening to mix veggies and serve either hot or at room temperature over rice or over pasta. 
• You can make the rice in your thermal cooker or you can make your pasta and have the ratatouille ready to serve over it.

Slow cooker veggie curry

No Hurry Vegetable Curry

1 TBS peanut oil
2 large carrots, sliced
1 medium size yellow onion, chopped (I always use a little more)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBS curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced (I usually don't peel mine)
8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (sometimes I use frozen green beans)
1 ½ cups slow cooked or one 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed One 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups vegetable stock
½ cup frozen green peas, thawed (I never have these…I always forget)
½ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk (optional—but man does it make it
tasty!)

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots
and onion, cover and cook until softened. (around 5 minutes?) Add the garlic, curry powder, coriander and cayenne, stirring to coat.

2. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a 3 1/2 -4 quart slow cooker.
(mine is at least 5 quarts) Add the potatoes, green beans, chickpeas, tomatoes and stock; cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
3. Just before serving, stir in the peas and coconut milk and season
with salt. Taste to adjust the seasonings.

Personally I would put more curry in it, but the kids liked it the way it was. It definitely needed the salt and I would maybe add red pepper flakes (not for my kids though). This was absolutely delicious served over long grain brown rice.