Ratatouille

I'm not the worlds biggest fan of aubergine so I make ratatouille without it. This vegetable dish is immensely versatile and very tasty. It's a real staple in our house and I make different variations of it but the basis is always as follows

Ratatouille
Serves 4 0.5 pts each

1 large courgette diced
250g mushrooms diced
2 red onions chopped
2 large cloves of garlic
1 red pepper diced
1 green pepper diced
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 large can of chopped tomatos
Black pepper
Sea salt
1 stock cube (I use chicken)
1/2 tsp granulated sweetener
1 pack of smoked turkey rashers chopped into strips

Heat a large frying pan or wok and spray with oil from a mister, add the turkey rashers, onion and garlic and cook until they start to colour. If they are cooking too quickly add a little water. Add the rest of the vegetables and stir. These will become coated in the caramalised juces from the rashers and onion mix.

Add the dried herbs and the tinned tomato and bring to the boil. Sprinkle with the stock cube and add sweetener, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked through. The sweetener brings out the flavour of the tomato and gives real depth of flavour.

I serve this in many ways, as a side dish with chicken or fish. With rice or pasta. With crusty bread or even in a bowl on it's own. I always add half a points worth of parmesan for an extra dimension. This is my favourite low point lunch to have when I want to save points for a night out. I have a huge bowful with parmesan and I have only spent 1 point, bargain!

The turkey rashers can be left out for a point free version but I think the smokeynes they add is worth the odd half point. Any other mediteranean vegetables can be added including the dreaded aubergine if liked to make this dish more substantial. It freezes well too!