Grilled Chicken with Ratatouille

I've been trying to eat healthier for several reasons. The obvious: to be healthy in general. The second reason: Mexico in 5 weeks! I've been saying for a while now that I want to get rid of that mysterious layer of flab that appeared shortly after my 43rd birthday...now I really, really need to do it. It's just grossing me out! So in addition to the regular exercise that I started a few months ago, I'm really trying to eat less cheese, cream, and fat in general. With this in mind, I've been grilling more. The weather has been great for it, and I've figured out that it's pretty easy to throw something on the grill when I get home from work. I don't have too much of a recipe for the chicken, but it is basically this (I used a combination of spices that I happened to have, but any spices you like, that you feel go together would work equally well):

Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I prefer the air-chilled organic from Whole Paycheck)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric (helps give that nice golden color)
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
dash of cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for grill

• Mix together all spices and olive oil on a plate
• Pat chicken dry, then coat with spice mixture
• Set aside while you prepare the ratatouille, or other side dish
• When ready to grill, preheat grill for about 10 minutes on high.
• Place chicken, presentation side down, at a 45 degree angle to the grates on the grill. Close grill lid. After about 3 minutes, rotate chicken to get grill marks (optional). Flip over and repeat for about 2 minutes per grill mark.
• Turn heat down and continue to cook till temperature at thickest part of chicken reaches about 160.
• Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve!

Julia Child's Ratatouille

(note: this is Julia Child's recipe, which I always stray from a bit. I will add my comments as I go along)

1/2 pound eggplant *I used one eggplant*
1/2 pound zucchini *I used 3 small*
A 3-quart, porcelain or stainless-steel mixing bowl *I use a colander for this*
1 teaspoon salt
A 10- to 12-inch enameled skillet *I use my ScanPan Chef's pan for the entire preparation*
4 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
1/2 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions *I used one large onion*
2 (about 1 cup) sliced green bell peppers *I used red, since that's what I had*
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, if necessary
2 cloves mashed garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juiced (makes 1 1/2 cups pulp) *I used 1 can of San Marzano tomatoes*
Salt and pepper
A 2 1/2 quart fireproof casserole about 2 1/2 inches deep *see above*
3 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper

• Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut the zucchini into slices about the same size as the eggplant slices. Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice in a towel.
• One layer at a time, sauté the eggplant and then the zucchini in hot olive oil in the skillet for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly. Remove to a side dish.
• In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.
• Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.
• Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of the casserole and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley. *My variation: I add the eggplant and zucchini on top of the onions and peppers and continue cooking in the same pan - no layering*
• Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip casserole and baste with the rendered juices. Correct seasoning, if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more *Here I mix all together, and mix occassionally instead of basting*, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole. Set aside uncovered.
• Reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.