Summer Vegetables in Red Sauce

Colorful summer vegetables simmered in a red sauce and spooned over warm polenta make a hearty and inexpensive summer meal.

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
• 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
• 1 eggplant ($1.49)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.10)
• 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
• 1/4 tsp pepper ($0.03)
• 1 red bell pepper ($1.50)
• 1 zucchini ($1.47)
• 1 24oz. jar pasta sauce ($1.50)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish) ($0.10)
• 5 cups water ($0.00)
• 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal ($0.40)
• 2 Tbsp butter ($0.22)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.36)

Instructions

1. 1

   Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large pot. Sauté over medium heat until the onions have softened.

2. 2

   While the onion and garlic are cooking, dice the eggplant into ½-inch pieces. Add the eggplant to the pot with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and continue to sauté over medium heat.

3. 3

   Dice the red bell pepper. Once the eggplant has softened, add the diced bell pepper to the pot and continue to sauté.

4. 4

   Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch thick quarter-rounds, then add them to the pot. Continue to sauté just a couple minutes more, or until the zucchini just begin to soften.

5. 5

   Add the red sauce and 1/4 cup water to the pot and stir to combine. Let the vegetables simmer in the sauce for 5-10 minutes, or until they reach your desired level of tenderness.

6. 6

   While the vegetables are simmering, bring a separate pot of water to a boil.

7. 7

   Once boiling, stir in the salt, then pour in the cornmeal while whisking. Continue to cook and whisk until the cornmeal thickens (this should happen quickly).

8. 8

   Once the cornmeal has thickened, stir in the butter until melted, then add the grated Parmesan. Stir to combine, then taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

9. 9

   To serve, spoon ⅔ cup cornmeal into a bowl then top with one cup of the vegetables and red sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.