Roasted Vegetables

I love most vegetables…except maybe beets.  I eat a combination of cooked and raw to get the nutrition from each form.  Some nutrients become more active when cooked (lycopene in tomatoes) while others decrease…so I eat both.

Today for example I roasted broccoli florets and then shredded the stems to make broccoli slaw.  This week I've had raw tomato on a sandwich and sundried tomatoes in a salad.  Roasted eggplant and raw carrots. 

Roasting vegetables is one of my FAVORITE ways to prepare them.  The flavors get concentrated and the vegetables develop a delicious caramelized flavor.  I roast eggplant, green beans, asparagus, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, Brussels sprouts…

Here is an article from Martha Stewart on how to prepare the veggies for roasting and how long to cook them for.  So simple.  Roasting means you will cook at a high temperature…425 – 450 degrees, so pay attention to make sure the vegetables don’t burn.

The article says…

1. Use shallow pans (such as baking sheets) and don't overcrowd vegetables. This allows them to brown rather than steam.  Use 2 pans if you need to.

2.  Toss vegetables as they roast; they'll stay coated with oil and won't dry out.  And don’t use too much oil to begin with…start with about 2 tsp and add more if you are cooking more veggies.

Quick-Roasting
- Asparagus
- Corn
- Mushrooms
- Tomatoes (unless you follow my favorite recipe)

Somewhat Quick-Roasting
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Eggplant
- Fennel
- Onions
- Zucchini and summer squash

Slow-Roasting
- Beets
- Carrots
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Turnips
- Winter squash