my new obsession: roasted vegetables

it's true. I'm completely obsessed with roasted vegetables. I started down this road with this recipe for Orzo with Roasted Vegetables out of my Barefoot Contessa Parties! cookbook, also available at the Food Network's website (click on the recipe name to get there). Anyway you get there, though, it's seriously delicious. But then I ran out of orzo. And feta. And basil. And scallions. So I left those out, and mixed it with brown rice and it was still delicious. And then I didn't feel like making the dressing, so I just tossed the roasted vegetables with brown rice and ate it plain and guess what? still delicious. And also delicious with rice and a little sweet teriyaki sauce. Can you tell I've been eating this a lot lately?

And the more I eat it, the more I just adapt based on what I have in my fridge. My basic recipe for roasted vegetables follows the recipe above, but with more variety. so:

any variety of roasted vegetables, chopped into ~ 1 inch pieces. (I love to use eggplant, red/yellow/orange bell peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, red onion...)

toss lightly with olive oil (basically just enough to coat the veg), and a little salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Could be longer depending on how big or small you cut your veg. I try to remember to toss them / flip them over about half way through the cooking time. I don't always remember. And I try to flip them over right when they come out of the oven again so they don't stick to the pan.

yummy.

I've also started cooking broccoli this way and I'm telling you, it's changed my life. I would eat broccoli before, but usually out of duty - like it seemed the right thing to do or something. folic acid and whatnot. but I wouldn't say I loved broccoli. those days are gone, though! I have become converted to broccoli now that I've started...yes, roasting them! sounds weird, I know. I heard about it a while ago, but took a while to try it. my loss. In addition to the olive oil and salt/pepper, I add a couple of cloves of chopped garlic, and I'm telling you, I can't wait to eat it. I just want to snack on it all the time. it's so good! my favorite is when they get a little crispified, so don't be afraid if that happens. just dig in.