roasting

Every Monday, I plan to roast up a ton of veggies to have on hand for the week…or at least the beginning of the week because they don’t last long in our house! By the end of the week, the meal prep usually goes to the wayside and you’ll typically find me scrambling to get dinner on the table, in need of an easy, yummy (nutritious) side dish or two that I know my kids will eat. Below you’ll find my go-to’s for crunchy, salty, delicious roasted veggies that are so easy, you’ll make them weekly or daily, just like us!

The Best Root Veggies (Carrots, Squash, Tators, etc.)

In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with rosemary, I could eat it on anything…only problem with these roasted veggies is that they don’t last long around our house! These are the best veggie gone comfort food:

Set oven to bake at 400 degrees. Wash and cut your veggies into sticks/’fries,’ or discs (depending on the veg) and place them on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil (or avocado oil) and season with dried rosemary, sea salt, and pepper. If you prefer sweet to savory, use coconut oil and cinnamon. I always thought that cooked carrots were a little “blah” but roasting them this way is a game changer! Trust me, they’re that good!

Crunchy Green Beans / Burnt Broccoli / Asparagus etc.

Who knew to roast your green beans? Well, you’ll never go back to steaming them after you taste this crunchy, savory goodness. Just put green beans/broccoli/broccolini/asparagus on a cookie sheet on top of some parchment paper and add olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Roast at 375 for about 35-40 minutes. That’s it. You’re welcome!

One Healthy Breakdown: you’ll be poppin’ veggies like never before!

Roasting veggies is often on my Sunday or Monday agenda. It’s a great way to have veggies ready for the week and makes dinners a breeze. I mix it up and use whatever I have; broccoli, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, asparagus, potatoes, eggplant, kale, brussels sprouts, onions, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, beets, peppers, garlic…anything goes when roastin’ up veggies.

Put ’em all together, or separate, (your call) on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Add your favorite herbs and spices and spritz with your choice of oil, vinegar, lemon juice, etc.

My go-to’s:

1. Drizzle with olive or coconut oil, fresh lemon juice, and a little vinegar (apple cider or balsamic) add garlic, (minced, whole cloves, or garlic powder) pepper, and a light sprinkle of sea salt. I like to use this combo when roasting any green veggie, summer squash, broccoli slaw, etc.

2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, oregano, basil, and a little sea salt and pepper. I use this for eggplant, squash, tomatoes, etc.

Cook at 400 degrees for about 15-45 minutes depending on the vegetable, check to see when veggies start to brown and broil for a few minutes at the end if you like ’em crispy. Use veggies as a side, a main dish with protein or a grain, make a veggie salad, or keep on hand for healthy munchies throughout the day. It’s limitless. It’s simple. It’s easy, healthy, and yummy.

One Healthy Breakdown: roastin’ up lots of veggies will ensure you’re stocked up, which makes choosing veggies over french fries an easy YES!