Lady Dawn Russell's 30-Minute Ratatouille Is the Easiest (and Healthiest) Recipe You'll Make All Week
Getting dinner on the table—let alone a nutritious one—is a challenge Dawn Russell knows all too well.
The American mom of two, who became “Lady James Russell” in 2005 when she married Lord James Russell, is all about simplifying healthy eating—like with her one-pot ratatouille recipe shared exclusively in this week’s PEOPLE. The high-fiber dish, which can be made in 30 minutes or less, is one of many recipes in her upcoming 8Greens Cookbook.
“Every recipe has passed the key criteria of being easy to make (if I can, you definitely can), containing fabulously healthy ingredients, and being eaten with enthusiasm by my children, husband and friends,” she says of the book also featuring dishes from stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Alba‘s nutritionist.
Russell transformed her diet after she was diagnosed with stage III lymphatic cancer at age 25. The health scare led her to develop 8Greens, a dissolvable tablet that packs in eight essential daily greens (kale, spinach, spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, wheatgrass, aloe vera and blue green algae) and comes in at only 10 calories.
“Changing my nutrition has changed my health. 8Greens was my way to help people prioritize their nutrition no matter how hectic their lives become,” she says. “Health should not be exclusive, complicated or a fad. With this cookbook, I hope to make getting greens even easier.”
Get a taste of the aristocrat’s healthy lifestyle with the recipe below, which she likes to serve “as a main course or a side dish with meat or fish.” Her spin on the French comfort food dish makes for a quick weeknight meal you can feel good about.
Lady Dawn Russell’s One-Pot Ratatouille
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 red onions, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-in. pieces
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium; add onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add bell peppers and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and zucchini, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is slightly softened but still has some crunch, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and serve.
Serves: 6
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
