Roasted Veggies

I’m always looking for new ways to cook vegetables that make them something I want to eat. We all know we should eat them, but it’s an entirely different feeling to look forward to eating them. For me, my dislike of certain vegetables has little to do with their flavor and everything to do with their texture. So growing up in a household where veggies were usually boiled and a little mushy (sorry mom and dad lol), I decided to give roasted vegetables a try–and I’m glad I did.

Best eaten fresh out of the oven when they are still crispy, these oven roasted vegetables held up pretty well all week for lunch and dinner. They did end up a little mushy as well on days I had to microwave them at work, but all the flavors were still there from being roasted in the oven.

The best part, the recipe below is super simple and you can make these vegetables with any seasonings you like!

In fact, other than stating that you should only use enough olive oil to coat the veggies (1-2 tablespoons depending on the amount of veggies), I’m not going to list measurements because it’s all personal preference and “to taste”.

Ingredients:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Garlic Powder
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• Oregano/Italian Seasoning
• Smoked Paprika
• Vegetables of your choice (carrots, yellow and green squash, zucchini, eggplant, asparagus)

Instructions:

*Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

1.) Wash all vegetables and pat dry

2.) Chop the vegetables into slices, cubes, or however you’d like to eat them

3.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

4.) Arrange the veggies on the pan making sure to leave plenty of room around each one (this helps with crispiness). You may need to use two sheet pans.

5.) Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle on your seasoning over the entire pan. Listed above are some of my favorites, but you can use any seasoning you like!

6.) Then dig in with your hands and make sure the veggies are coated and rearranged on the sheet. This part can get a little messy, so you can add you oil and seasonings to a large bowl and then toss your vegetables gently with a wood spoon or spatula.

7.) Wash your hands and place your baking sheet in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes checking on them occasionally and using a spatula to flip the veggies about half way through.

8.) Remove from oven and let the vegetables cool slightly before serving and enjoying!

**Pictured above is 2 sheet pans worth of roasted veggies ready to serve. For roasting, these veggies were more spread out to allow them room to crisp.**