Roasted Vegetables

One of my favorite ways to eat vegetables is to roast them on a large baking pan. It’s an easy way to cook them and to impart so much more flavor.

We often make roasted vegetables in aluminum foil packets or a disposable aluminum foil pan as we grill, but for the directions today I’m sharing how I make them in the oven. If you prefer the grilled method, just make sure to brush oil in the bottom of the aluminum foil packet and then pour the vegetables that are seasoned and coated with oil into the packet, and crimp it to seal it up. Don’t overload the packets so the veggies steam instead of browning.

I like to cut my vegetables up and then add them to a large bowl so that I can stir them once I add 2 – 3 tablespoons of oil. This method ensures that all of the vegetables are coated in the oil, and that I don’t use too much oil by just pouring it over the top of the vegetables.

For me the more variety of seasonings the better, but I don’t want to overload the veggies so that the flavor is altered too much. For that reason I sprinkle the herbs and spices over the top gently and from pretty high up so that they fall over the entire surface of the pan and don’t overload in one area.

As an added flavor booster I roast unpeeled garlic cloves with the veggies. They soften up and are so much milder once roasted. Also, they make an excellent spread for my Farmer’s Veggie Sandwiches when they are added to mayonnaise.

For easy cleanup line your baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. I usually roast my vegetables first, move them off to a bowl, and then use the same pan for roasting chicken breasts. It equals less clean up for me!

These directions work for all types of vegetables to include butternut or acorn squash and cabbage.

I hope that you’ll try this recipe today and leave a comment below. Also, please follow @lifeabovethecafe on Instagram, Pintrest, and Facebook by following the social media icons found on this page!

Ingredients:

• 2 – 3 Tbsp. of Olive Oil
• 1 bell pepper, any color
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1/2 purple onion, diced
• 1 pack of button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 carrots, diced
• salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper,
• dried – thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley

Other optional vegetables to roast:

• butternut squash
• acorn squash
• potatoes (regular or sweet)
• beets

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Wash, dry, and chop the vegetables up into 1 inch pieces.  Place them in a bowl and pour 2 – 3 Tbsp. of olive oil (or the oil you prefer) over the vegetables and stir them up until all are coated.

Spread the vegetables out on the lined sheet pan.  Sprinkle the recommended spices over the top of all of the vegetables.

Bake the vegetables for 20 minutes, remove the pan and stir everything.  Return the vegetables to the oven for 10 more minutes.  Test them to ensure they are as tender as you prefer.  Mine were perfect for me at 30 minutes.

Note ** If you dice the vegetables up larger you may need additional baking time, and likewise if you use smaller pieces you may only need 20 minutes total of baking time.

 

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