Roast your vegetables to bring out flavor

Now that the weather has cooled, it’s time to enjoy vegetables in a different way.

Rather than eating them fresh from the garden, enhance their flavor by roasting them.

Roasted vegetables can be used in a variety of ways — plain as a side dish, in salads, omelets, tacos, quinoa, rice or grain bowls, in a marinara sauce, on sandwiches and in soups, as a pizza topping or in cooked pasta dishes.

When roasting, wash vegetables, then dry them carefully to remove excess moisture.

Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces so they cook evenly and place them on a large rimmed baking sheet. Coat the vegetables generously with oil, making sure they are well-coated but not swimming in oil.

Don’t crowd the baking sheet or the veggies will steam and get mushy. And remember to flip them halfway through the cooking time to make sure both sides are crispy. 

When seasoning the vegetables, you  can keep things simple and stick with olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper.

Other favorites to season veggies include everything bagel seasoning, garlic, herbs such as rosemary, thyme and dill — fresh or dried — spices, citrus juice, vinegar, pesto, sesame oil, honey, maple syrup, Parmesan and other cheeses and dressings.

If you have leftover roasted veggies, store them in the refrigerator for a few days. To reheat them, place the veggies on a sheet pan and heat in a 350-degree oven, warm them in a skillet with a little olive oil for three to five minutes or use an air fryer, which will crisp the vegetables.

You can microwave them for 30 to 60 seconds, but it will make the veggies a little mushy.

Following are some roasted vegetable recipes from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com.

 

Cheese Tortellini With Spinach and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

1/2 tablespoon salt

16 ounces frozen cheese tortellini

2 cups slow roasted tomatoes

3 cups fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped

Drizzle of olive oil

Fresh Parmesan cheese

Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water and bring to a boil. Add salt, then stir in tortellini. Cook until tortellini floats to the top and is soft.

Drain and put tortellini in a medium bowl.

Stir in slow roasted tomatoes and spinach. Drizzle with olive oil and stir again.

Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

 

 

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowls

For vegetables:

1 large sweet potato, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 cups Brussels sprouts, cut in half

1/2 red onion, sliced

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

3 cups chopped kale

For quinoa:

1 cup quinoa rinsed

2 cups water

Pinch of salt

For lemon tahini dressing:

1/3 cup tahini

1 clove garlic

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup warm water

Salt

Pepper

Place vegetables on two baking sheets, making sure they are in an even layer and spread out a little. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until vegetables are coated. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss vegetables, then roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender and slightly crisp. If you prefer vegetables crispy and a little black on the edges, roast about 40 minutes total.

In a medium saucepan, combine water, rinsed quinoa and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand five minutes, covered. Remove the lid and fluff quinoa with a fork.

To make dressing, whisk together tahini, garlic, lemon juice and water in a small bowl or jar. Season with salt and pepper. If dressing is too thick, add a little more water and whisk again.

Place quinoa, an assortment of roasted vegetables and chopped kale in bowls. Drizzle with lemon tahini dressing.

If you are meal prepping, you can place the dressing in a separate container and wait to dress the bowls. You can heat the roasted vegetables and quinoa in the microwave and add the kale and dressing when you are ready to eat.

 

 

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

1 can chickpeas

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

1 to 2 teaspoons spices garam masala, za’ atar, curry powder, smoked paprika or a mixture of chili powder, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder, or your favorite mix of spices

Pour chickpeas into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Drain well. Spread chickpeas onto a clean dish towel and pat dry. You can rub the chickpeas to remove the skins, if desired.

Place chickpeas on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat well. Season with salt.

Roast chickpeas in a 375-degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crispy, shaking the pan halfway through.

Toss the chickpeas in seasonings. Let the chickpeas cool completely since they will continue to crisp up as they cool.

 

 

Sweet Potato Roasted Corn Chowder

4 ears corn, shucked

2 small poblano peppers

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon kosher salt

5 cups vegetable broth

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt

Pepper

For garnish:

Cilantro, lime wedges, avocado and pepitas, optional

Char corn and poblano peppers over a hot grill or gas flame. If using the grill, put the corn and peppers on a hot grill and char each side for two to three minutes per side, until blistered and blackened. If using a gas flame, char the corn all over until at least half the kernels are blistered, and poblanos until skin is blackened.

Poblano peppers can also be broiled in an oven for about 10 minutes, rotating them every couple of minutes.

Place peppers in a paper bag and close tight. Let sit for five to 10 minutes to steam, then remove the skin and seeds and dice the peppers. Cut the kernels off the corn cob.

Set the corn and peppers aside.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and cook five minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Add sweet potatoes, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Add vegetable broth, increase heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to maintain a simmer and cook 10 to 12 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Stir in the roasted corn and cook two minutes.

Transfer about a third of the chowder to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir mixture back into the pot. If you have an immersion blender you can blend the chowder in the pot, but don’t over do it. You want there to be chunks

Add poblano peppers, coconut milk, cilantro and lime juice and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the chowder into the bowls and garnish with desired toppings. Serve warm.

 

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 pound Brussels sprouts, rinsed

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts. If the Brussels sprouts are large, cut in half. If they are extra large, you can quarter them. Make sure they are all the same size.

Place sprouts in a medium bowl and toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour Brussels sprouts on a large baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching, and roast in a 400-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until sprouts are tender but crispy on the outside. Stir a couple of times while they are roasting. Serve warm.

 

Chimichurri Roasted Potatoes

2 pounds small red or baby Yukon Gold potatoes, washed well

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Chimichurri sauce

Queso fresco, for garnish, optional

Cut potatoes in half, do not peel them. Place them in a large bowl, add olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and toss until well-coated.

Transfer potatoes to a large parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into an even layer, making sure the potatoes aren’t touching.

Roast in a 425-degree oven for 20 minutes, until bottoms are golden brown. Flip the potatoes, then roast an additional 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are tender all the way through and crispy.

Transfer the potatoes to a large serving bowl. Top with chimichurri sauce and toss until potatoes are well coated. Garnish with queso fresco, if using, and serve immediately.

 

 

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley, for garnish

Place cauliflower florets and garlic cloves on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with olive oil until well coated. Spread cauliflower in an even layer and season with salt and black pepper. Roast in a 425-degree oven for 25 minutes, stirring once.

Sprinkle the cauliflower with grated Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven and roast 10 minutes, until cauliflower is tender and starting to brown.

Remove the skins from the roasted garlic. Finely chop. Place roasted cauliflower and garlic in a serving dish and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Store leftover cauliflower in an airtight container for as long as four days.

 

 

Roasted Carrots

2 pounds carrots, peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For garnish:

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or fresh thyme, optional

With a sharp knife, cut off the tops of the carrots. Slice carrots diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place carrots on a large parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, if using. Toss until well coated. Season with salt and black pepper. Make sure the carrots are in an even layer on the baking sheet.

Roast carrots in a 425-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway.

Garnish with fresh dill or thyme and serve warm.

Sweet option: Don’t use garlic powder or herbs. While the carrots are roasting, melt one tablespoon butter and stir in 1 tablespoon honey. Drizzle over the carrots when they come out of the oven and toss.

 

 

Roasted Acorn Squash

2 medium acorn squash, about 1-1/2 pounds each

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

Candied pecans, for garnish, optional

Place squash on a cutting board and use a sharp chef’s knife to slice 1/4-inch off the stem end and base of the squash. Stand squash on one of the cut ends and cut it in half from top to bottom. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy parts. Place squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cut-side-up.

Brush cut-sides of the squash with olive oil. Place one tablespoon butter in the cavity of the squash and drizzle evenly with maple syrup. Sprinkle evenly with sea salt and cinnamon, if using.

Roast in a 400-degree oven for 40 to 60 minutes, until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.

Drizzle with additional maple syrup and sprinkle with sea salt. You can cut the halves into wedges to make the squash easier to serve and eat.

Garnish with candied pecans, if desired.