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chunky cooked eggplant, zucchini half-moons, bell pepper and chickpeas in red tomato juices over whole-wheat couscous in one plain shallow bowl, with no cheese or garnish
Melissa Hart

Slow Cooker Ratatouille

Ratatouille needs recognizable pieces of eggplant, zucchini and pepper rather than a uniform vegetable mash; give the eggplant the longer cook and add zucchini later, while chickpeas make this version substantial enough for the center of dinner, with whole-wheat couscous underneath to absorb the tomato juices. A little olive oil is enough when the vegetables soften in their own liquid instead of soaking it up from a frying pan. Estimated calories: about 370 per serving, including everything listed.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large eggplant about 1 1/2 lbs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 medium zucchini cut into 1-inch half-moons
  • 2 bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 1 can 28 oz no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans 15 oz each no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup dry whole-wheat couscous
  • 1 1/4 cups water for couscous

Method
 

  1. Combine eggplant, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes with juices, chickpeas, garlic, oil, basil, oregano, salt and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours until eggplant is mostly tender.
  3. Stir in zucchini, cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours more until all vegetables are tender but still hold pieces. Stir in vinegar.
  4. Bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in couscous, cover, remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
  5. Fluff couscous with a fork and divide among 6 shallow bowls.
  6. Spoon ratatouille and chickpeas over the couscous, including a little tomato cooking liquid in each serving.