October marks Vegetarian Awareness Month. Vegetarians follow their path for many reasons. Some choose not to eat meat, feeling it isn’t necessary. As a society, we consume much more meat than we need. Others cite the cruelty to animals.

I was a vegetarian for about two years. I can remember distinctly making my decision and why. I wasn’t motivated by any cruelty or health issues as I was by the people issues. Corn that could feed people was feeding cattle. I could easily give up steak and hamburgers if it meant someone could benefit by my choice. So, I took the meatless path.

It was very hard to be a vegetarian then. There was very little meatless or meat substitute meals available at the grocery store. Restaurants were hardly accommodating. Even my family thought me a bit odd. It was a difficult journey.

I rejoined the ranks of meat eaters when I realized that I was becoming sick more often. Funny as it sounds, I had dreams of eating meat. In my small way, I felt that I had contributed to the good of mankind. Years later, I still will go days without meat. With plenty of meatless meals available, it’s much easier. It’s also much more accepted. To honor the vegetarian lifestyle, this month I will feature meatless meals. Today’s weekly recipe is Ratatouille Bake from Surpriseitswendy of Allrecipes.com. Bon appetit!

 INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

    * 1 tablespoon olive oil
    * 5 cloves garlic, minced
    * 1 onion, chopped
    * 2 cups peeled and diced eggplant
    * 2 cups chopped zucchini
    * 1 green bell pepper, chopped
    * 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
    * 1 tablespoon dried basil
    * 1 tablespoon dried parsley
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt
    * 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
    * 1 (8 ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli
    * 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C); spray a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
   2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the garlic, onion, and eggplant with the garlic until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, and black pepper; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
   3. Cook the frozen ravioli as directed on the package; drain. Spread the cooked ravioli in a layer into the bottom of the prepared baking dish; spoon the hot vegetables over the ravioli. Sprinkle with the cheese.
   4. Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

The only suggestion I’d make is to use fresh herbs instead of the dried.