Day 81: A Little Like Pooh Bear

Life has been very happy around our home lately, since my hubby has been home. It has turned cold and winter is definitely here. This means hot fires, cozy evenings and comfort food. One of his favorite foods is honey toast. I've taken to calling him my little "Pooh Bear" because he's so keen on it. He's even asked for honey for Christmas. But with such temptation comes some backsliding. We share happiness and we do share honey-toast and hot cups of tea in front of a hot wood stove. 

I'm feeling a bit like Pooh Bear, feeling a little more round around the middle. I am determined to make less classic comfort food with pasta or honey toast and more comfort food with veggies like this one!

Ratatouille

Ingredients

Your MISTO
1 medium yellow onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium thin eggplant, peeled
2 medium tomato
1 TBS dried thyme

1 TBS Italian herbs
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese $1.49
1/2 cup Parmesan
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Saute both in a skillet sprayed with your MISTO (with EVOO) until softened (about five minutes).
While the onion and garlic are sauteing, thinly slice the rest of the vegetables.
Spray the inside of an 8×8 square or round baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the softened onion and garlic in the bottom of the dish. Place the thinly sliced vegetables in the baking dish vertically, in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and thyme.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. 

Mix the cheeses and herbs.

Remove the foil, top with cheeses and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Serve by using salad tongs, to pull out stacked sections. Serve hot! 

This was super yummy, and made me feel full without feeling heavy. Most vegetable based dishes are like that I find, even though the little girl in my head still flinches and sticks her tongue out at the thought of so much vegetables for dinner. Lately I have found that once I can muscle past the idea that veggies are yucky (they're NOT) then all kinds of food possibilities open up for me. Yesterday I had meaty spaghetti sauce on top of broccoli and whole wheat pasta. Between that one and this I will make more veggie dishes for sure! This is definitely one I will be making again.

FOOD

Breakfast: two scrambled eggs on a piece of honey whole wheat toast

Snack: string cheese and mini bell peppers

Lunch: whole wheat spaghetti 

Snack: two HBE's and a piece of honey toast

Dinner: Ratatouille! 

EXERCISE

Still in a bit of a lazy lull. Last week (during the 7 days of Thanksgiving) I got up early and ran in the freezing cold a couple of times, but what can I say? I like to sleep in, I love my cozy bed, and I don't like being cold!!

Never fear! I will get my butt back in gear!

Thanks for reading all!