Veggies Turning? Roast Away!

I looked at my once beautiful bowl of red and yellow peppers, zucchini, eggplant and carrots and sighed. These veggies were fresh from the farmer's market this week! They were already starting to turn and I knew there was no way I could possibly eat them fast enough before they moved on to greener (sorry for the pun) pastures. What to do? Roast!

Roasting is great way to create a new and different flavor for tired old vegetables. All you need is a hot oven, your favorite vegetables, a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and you've got several side dishes for the week! Remember, if you fail to plan, plan to fail. This is a full-proof way to ensure that veggies are on the menu all week.


Ingredients:

• Your favorite veggies, washed and chopped into the same size for even roasting-I used all of the above-can also use onions, mushrooms, asparagus, squash, potatoes, etc.

• Garlic Cloves-I used 3 large, smashed-I love the roasted garlic flavor

• Olive Oil-just enough to coat lightly

• Salt and Pepper to taste

• Herbs-optional

Preheat oven to 450. Place all veggies in a roasting pan. Pour olive oil over veggies and season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss lightly to coat. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes, checking once to turn veggies. Remove veggies from oven once they are evenly browned or to desired doneness.

I like to sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a few red pepper flakes for a kick for a side dish. Or, mix in with pasta for a primavera. Use on top of pizzas or throw into soups. The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!