Saturday, April 16, 2011

Roasted Veggies

Roasted veggies, you say? Well, I decided to do a post on this wonderful way of preparing vegetables because just as no one is born knowing how to blanch veggies (and some people have mentioned their thanks to me that I've written brief notes on how to do that), so also is no one born knowing how to roast them either. So, this is more of a short guide, rather than a recipe. By the way, I only began roasting vegetables regularly about a year ago. I usually steamed or stir-fried them, but now I think roasting is my favorite way to prepare them. Below is my all-time favorite combination of veggies to roast: asparagus, broccoli and mushrooms - and they all fit so nicely on a large cookie sheet! Have fun roasting!


Hot Roasted Veggies right out of the oven - see the steam?


A close-up of said veggies

Roasted Veggies

Ingredients:

Several cups of your favorite vegetables, chopped or left whole, according to your preference
Non-stick Spray
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Spread out your prepared veggies over the cookie sheet. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables, less or more depending on your taste. Sprinkle salt and pepper over all. I have found to keep seasonings to a minimum: when I used more herbs and spices, it hid the flavor that the roasting brings out. Bake for fifteen minutes. If you have harder vegetables, like cauliflower, you may need to bake for an additional ten minutes. You do not want them mushy when done, yuck - just barely fork tender, leaving a nice crunch. Mm-mm-good. Feeds five hungry vegans.

15 comments:

  1. If there's a better way to prepare vegetables than roasting, I sure don't know what it is.

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  2. Definitely my favorite way to prepare vegetables. The only problem is how small the yield is when they shrink in the oven!

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  3. Roasted veggies....yum! I think I may need some of that deliciousness with my supper tonight.

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  4. I roast veggies all the time- it's my easy-peasy go-to cooking mode!

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  5. Hi, Ladies! I think we all can agree that roasted veggies rock! :-) Maud - that's why you fill up the cookie sheet super full, girl!

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  6. Now this is my cup of tea....As you saw on my blog I roasted my veggies in honey, all veggies are great roasted and yours sound yummy. . Nice job Blessedmama.

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  7. I love asparagus and try to come up with different ways to roast it. Our family loves asparagus, and in fact will eat any veggies I roast.

    Got to keep the salt & pepper down though.

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  8. Roasting veggies is magical! Roasted broccoli is one of my very favorite things. What a treat; they look really good...all that lovely greenery.

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  9. Yum! Do you have to turn them, or do you just leave them on one side?

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  10. They look so bright and green, really appetizing!
    ciao
    A.
    http://alessandra-veganblog.blogspot.com/

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  11. Another trick I learned is to use parchment paper on the pan when you roast them, that seems to keep them crunchier.

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  12. This is right up there with your Boiled Potatoes post!

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  13. Millie, thank you!

    Keurig Mini, that's great that your family will eat all their veggies, yay!

    Rose, I'm so glad I'm roasting all the time now - so yummy.

    Diane, I just leave them as is. They turn out great!

    Allesandra, thanks.

    Brenda, great idea - I'm going to give it a try.

    S.V., I'm thinking of you...I'm thinking of you.

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