Monday, March 15, 2010

Roasted Vegetable...

When I was growing up, the usual dinner was meat, potatoes and a vegetable; usually peas or carrots. By dietary standards it was nutritious, but not too exciting. Well, forget about just meat and potatoes for a minute. A delicious side dishes; whether a vegetable, a bread, rice or other grain can make a meal memorable.

It doesn't even take much imagination to add a bit of Parmesan cheese, garlic or some herbs to help a vegetable go from everyday to great. Here is one of my favorite side dish that is really a simple recipe and a great way of making any dinner a special occasion.

This colorful dish has the perfect blend of sweet and savory. It is simple to prepare and can be served as a side dish, salad, or light meal.




Roasted Vegetable Medley

Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
8 new potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch slices
1 yellow squash, cut into 1 inch slices
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
½ cup roasted red peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Grease 2 baking sheets with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Place the various vegetables onto the baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then add the zucchini and asparagus, and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Continue baking until all of the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Once tender, remove from the oven, and allow to cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheet.

Toss the roasted peppers together with the garlic, basil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add the roasted vegetables, and toss to mix. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Serves 6


George’s notes:
  • The Healthy Eating Pyramid doesn’t worry about specific servings or grams of food, so neither should you. It’s a simple, general guide to how you should eat when you eat.
  • A healthy diet is built on a base of regular exercise, which keeps calories in balance and weight in check. Read five quick tips for staying active and getting to your healthy weight, and a dozen ideas for fitting exercise into your life.
  • As grilling vegetables is to summer, so roasting vegetables is to fall and winter. Not only does the cooler weather make it a wonderful time to turn on the oven for an hour, but the veggies available in fall are practically designed to be roasted. Many roasted vegetable recipes call for favorite fall vegetables like carrots, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, turnips, winter squash, eggplant, and more.



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29 comments:

  1. I can't tell you the times I have pondered what new and different veggies I could serve as a side course. We tend to stick to the old favorites. I think roasting veggies is a great idea; it gives them so much flavor. I've done it with root vegetables and often with just one vegetable but never thought to bunch a group together like this. Will try this soon, George!
    Hope things are going well for your mom. Are you home yet?

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  2. Love love love roasted vegetables! I use them often as a main dish too just on a bed of spinach with some goat cheese, yum!

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  3. My very favorite way to serve vegetables is by roasting them. It seems like their flavors are magnified a thousand times in the oven:D Not sure how I've missed your posts, but I'm going to add you to my blogroll now!

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  4. there is a certain sweetness that only happens through roasting - I can almost smell the deliciousness

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  5. My kids think I'm a little nuts, but I've always pooh-pooh'ed the food pyramid in favor of what I learned as a child: protein, dairy, fruit/veggies, grains. One serving of each at each meal, plus extra fruits and veggies as desired make a healthy person. Dessert is just for fun, but made right can improve the diet. I like your roasted veggie idea!

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  6. We grill vegetables all summer long, but when they seem to come all at once, this is a great idea to keep in mind. Thanks. Hope all is well in Florida. Diana

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  7. I love grilled vegetables.. it makes everything more of what it is... delicious and healthy. Lovely combinations!

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  8. so many colors, flavors, and textures going on all at once--what a sensation!

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  9. I love grilled vegetables and these look wonderful!Love the colours, really! gloria

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  10. I am all about side dishes and I love what you have in there! Roasting vegetables is so simple I don't why I hardly ever roasted anything but potatoes until a couple of years ago.

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  11. Oh I love how beautiful this look George. And roasted vegetables are such a great way to enhance a main course...of course, I could probably eat them all myself! How is your mother? Still praying for a speedy recovery.

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  12. Roasting vegetables brings out the very best of their flavors. Works very well with shrimp too, as well as many cuts of meat. So why not let the oven do all the work for you no?

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  13. We love roasted and grilled veggies George...I could easily make them my whole meal as they are just so delicious! Roasting brings out their best flavor and they go with any entree.
    YUM!

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  14. What more can I add to all the comments. Ditto, ditto, ditto. Terrific, healthy, flavorful.

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  15. I love roasted vegetables! I have passed on an award to you!
    http://sowhatareyoumakingfordinner.blogspot.com/2010/03/skirt-steak-pepppers-and-onion-sub-and.html

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  16. Hello George,

    I love the simplicity of this recipe and I could make a meal of it. As I am now cooking for my Mother too, meat and potatoes and a vegi is the standard. Much different than the way I cooked before.

    Your pork recipe sounds devine. We do not often eat pork but I am going to market for a roast this week. Interesting how during my typing of this comment for Pork I have typed PORT Twice! Possibly someone is trying to tell me that the addition of PORT to this recipe might be a winner? Any thoughts?

    Make it a great week.
    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  17. I love roasted vegetables, they are superior to veggies cooked any other way! They make a great side to nearly any dish.

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  18. This sounds delicious, I want to try it this summer.

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  19. I just love love roasted vegetables; I wonder why i don't make them moew often;it's been a long time; and when I can add my gresh herbs it's always better.
    Rita

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  20. Yum! This is my favourite way to do veggies. My upbringing was the opposite(hippies), although hubby was brought up meat and two veg. Now I try to balance the two as well.
    Thanks!

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  21. That's a great dish George! Roasting just brings out the best in veggies. It boosts the flavor and adds texture.

    What I can't stand is the "steamed vegetable medley" you get as an afterthought side dish at poor restaurants. You know, the bland, unseasoned and mushy carrots, broccoli and cauliflower.

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  22. Chris, I know what you mean! Cooking is 1 part good ingredients and 2 parts imagination... and those types of restaurants use neither most of the time.

    Hope your bachelorhood (i.e. mom's away) days are going well! I sure did like your "boys in the kitchen" post...

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  23. Roasted is best! And truth be told my favorite part of the meal is the side dish.

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  24. Gorgeous array of vegetables--roasted veggies are a favorite of mine.

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  25. i so desperately needed a great recipe like this..thanks a ton!

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  26. The only bad thing about summer is I stop roasting vegetables (don't like to turn on the oven that high in the hot weather)......but I will start grilling them instead!

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  27. What a delicious combination of vegetables. Roasting vegetables is so easy I don't know why I don't make it more often. Thanks for reminding me George.
    Sam

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  28. I'm quite passionate about cooking. This recipe looks divine...I'll be making it for Mother's Day!

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