Good Food, Good Life

How do you get in all the veggies that one should have? My solution: Roast a whole bunch of them!

Roasting is one of the simplest yet most nutritious and flavorful ways to cook. Not only does roasting enhance the flavors of food through carmelization, it also preserves nutrients. During roasting, hot air circulates around the food increasing the browning process, which give the vegetables that deep, sometimes sweet, flavor.  Roasting meats at low temperature is an option, but vegetables are best roasted at high temperature. I like to roast at 400 degrees or above to get the full flavor from the vegetables, but keep the crunch. If you are grilling, you can add this to your menu as long as the heat is high enough in the grill. Use a sheet pan and cover it with foil to make clean up super fast and easy!

You can roast almost any vegetable you can think of. Brussels Sprouts are amazing halved and roasted for 20 minutes or so, and then sprinkled with a bit of balsamic vinegar. These are not your mom’s mushy, bitter sprouts! 

Try roasting asparagus. At 400° they only need about 10 minutes. Toss them in a bit of olive oil or spray oil, and then roast them on a sheet pan. They are wonderful with salt and pepper but adding a bit of Parmesan cheese and/or lemon juice or zest is a nice touch.

Zucchini and yellow squash are great roasted. The same rules apply. They are also great with a small bit of Parmesan and/or lemon. You can also boost flavor by drizzling them with a bit of vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar.  When you have too many tomatoes from the garden or if they are out of season, try roasting them, and then adding a drizzle of balsamic vinegar when they are still hot from the oven. You won’t believe how sweet they are! Winter Squashes like Acorn and Butternut are great simply cut in halves or quarters, lightly sprayed and turned face down on the sheet pan for about 45 – 60 minutes.

Tomatoes, eggplant, squash, green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, okra, peppers, carrots, parsnips, turnips, mushrooms, onions, leeks, artichokes, beets, sweet potatoes, and many, many more veggies can be roasted. Many who have tried them thinking they didn’t like a particular veggie have been surprised that they like them roasted.  Add interest and flavor by sprinkling herbs and/or spices over them.  Note the type and size of veggies will affect the cooking times, but after you get some experience with it, you will find it the easiest way to cook. If you have just a few staples on hand in your well-stocked kitchen, you can make wonderful, simple foods absolutely fantastic!

Pantry Staples

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) or your favorite high temp oil

Kosher, Sea, or Mediterranean Pink Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Lemons or good lemon juice

Fresh garlic

Balsamic, Red Wine, and White Wine, and Rice Vinegars

Soy Sauce, Tamari, or Coconut Aminos  (gluten free versions)

A variety of fresh and/or dried herbs  (basil, parsley, rosemary, oregano, thyme, etc.)

Parmesan cheese

Not only will these pantry staples come in handy when roasting veggies, but also when making vinaigrettes, dressings, and marinades. It will also help you turn random veggies into a delicious and super nutritious dinner anytime, making meal planning a breeze.