Recipe of the Week: Roasted Vegetables

Ahh, vegetables. Nothing incites a watering mouth - or a sense of panic, depending on who you're talking to - like some fresh, yummy, food from the garden. Many times, we see good-looking produce in the store, or we join co-ops or CSAs where we get a nice amount of vegetables, and just can't decide on how to cook them. I'm here to the rescue with the simplest, easiest, yet most delicious remedy: roasting. Even veggies I'm not fond of will get eaten if thrown into a roasting pan.

Before the roasting: potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.

It may seem simple but, make no mistake, it's delicious. Roasting vegetables is versatile as you can mix up the vegetables and the ways in which to season them. 

After roasting: brussel sprouts and cauliflower.

I have a tried-and-true method of roasting my veggies, but it's not set in stone. Typically, any mixture of veggies will do, just make sure you go in every 10 minutes to stir the veggies around. This ensures that the vegetables cook and brown evenly. This is an important step! 

Ready to spread out onto a sheet pan: carrots, potatoes, peppers, zucchini, and yellow squash.

And oil, while important to the roasting process, should be kept to a minimum. Too little and your veggies will burn, too much and they'll just be greasy. The last tidbit of wisdom you're going to want to follow is this: don't roast hard, longer-to-cook veggies with softer, quicker-to-cook veggies. If you do this, some vegetables are going to get overcooked while others won't. Keep like veggies together. Now, here's my general guidelines for roasting vegetables.

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 - 2 lbs vegetables

1/8 - 1/4 c oil

seasonings of choice (garlic, paprkia, onion, fresh herbs, salt, pepper, curry powder, whatever strikes your fancy!)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Cut up your vegetables into 1-2 inch pieces, according to preference. Peeling them is up to you, but I tend to leave most skins on as the roasting process makes them soft and tender for eating. Add them to a large mixing bowl.

3. Put on your seasonings and/or herbs.

4. Add the oil and stir to coat well. You want each piece to be coated. Now, as far as how much oil, use 1/8 cup per 1 pound of vegetables.

5. Add your vegetables to a large roasting pan and put in your preheated oven. 

6. Take out the vegetables every 10 minutes and stir.

7. Depending on the vegetables used, the roasting process can take anywhere from 15 - 45 minutes. When the vegetables are lightly browned and fork tender, they are ready.

8. Serve immediately and store any leftovers in the fridge.

Notes:

*Roasted vegetables make a nice side dish for any meal, but they can easily shine as the main dish. 

*Often, when the weather is cooler - especially during the Spring or Fall months - I will pair them with a side salad and some corn on the cob for a truly delicious and healthy meal.

*If you eat a plant-based diet like I do, don't forget to add the nooch! 

*For extra flavor, whisk in a little soy sauce or miso paste to your oil before coating your vegetables.