Grilled Rainbow Ratatouille Salad

"If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff." – Remy from 'Ratatouille'

I love the movie 'Ratatouille' not just for the journey that Remy takes, but for the memorable quotes like the one above. People often times say "you are what you eat" and there is debate over whether or not that is true. But, I believe fully that you are a product of what you take in physically as well as emotionally. Feed yourself well and you will reap and sow only good things.

I've taken inspiration from the movie quote for my ratatouille side dish. Taking the traditional components of a ratatouille - tomatoes, garlic, onion, zucchini, eggplant, and basil - I'm grilling instead of sauteing them. This helps to keep the vegetables in more of a raw form and omits unnecessary fats like butter and oil used when sauteed. The grill imparts a charred, smokey flavor which is balanced by the lemony dressing everything is tossed in. Be good to yourself, make this side with fresh farmer's market veggies. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8

1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes

1 Red Onion

2 Zucchini
2 Summer Squash
1 Medium Eggplant
3 Portabello Mushroom Caps
1 Lemon, zest & juice
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Basil for topping

Directions
Preheat the grill to about 300 degrees. We used our charcoal grill for more flavor, but if you only have a gas grill that will do.

Prepare the vegetables: skewer the cherry tomatoes; cut the onion into 8 wedges leaving the root end attached; cut the zucchini, squash, and eggplant into 1/4in thick planks; scrape out the 'gills' from the underside of the portabellos. Once the grill is to temperature, grill the veggies until charred.

Allow the veggies to cool to room temperature and make the dressing. In a large bowl whisk together the lemon zest and juice, garlic, and olive oil. Add about 1tsp. salt and 1/2tsp. pepper, whisk, and set aside.

Cut the onion (remove root end, discard), zucchini, squash, eggplant, and mushrooms into large rustic pieces and toss with the dressing. Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper as needed. Top the salad with fresh torn basil, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Eat the "good stuff"!