“Eat your vegetables!” That phrase has stricken many children with fear and disgust throughout the generations, so I’ve heard. Vegetables have gotten a bad rap for a long time as something not to be enjoyed, but rather eaten only because mom said they’re good for you. I, personally, have liked most vegetables for as long as I can remember. This is very fortunate for me – my parents were gardeners – always plenty of vegetables at our house.
These days, with all the emphasis on eating healthy, vegetables are being elevated to a place of great importance. Fine with me – as I said, I’ve always liked vegetables. Of course, I also like cheese and creamy sauces. Those are not always healthy and can contradict the ‘healthy’ aspect of eating your vegetables.
Good news! There are ways to jazz up your veggies without compromising the healthy benefits. No microwave needed.
Roasting your vegetables is a healthy alternative to microwaving or steaming and the flavor and texture are a little different as well. I prefer this most times. AND …. my little person gobbles these up.
This recipe is more or less a suggestion. I like this combination of veggies and seasonings, but there are other variations I like as well. That’s another benefit – you can change up the seasonings to compliment your meal, or your mood. There are some great pre-mixed seasoning options if you are shy about trying your own. Mrs. Dash makes some great ones. I have also been known to sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the vegetables right before serving.
Try this one or try one of your own and let me know what you think. What did you come up with and which is your favorite?
- 3 cups Normandy Blend vegetables, raw or frozen Broccoli and cauliflower florets, sliced carrots, zucchini and yellow squash
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 TBSP Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- sea salt
- ground pepper
- toasted sesame seeds
- Place vegetables in baking dish. I prefer a deeper dish to make it easier to toss the veggies without flipping them out of the dish.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables.
- Sprinkle the seasonings over the vegetables. The amounts I listed are suggestions and can be adjusted to suit your taste.
- Toss the vegetables until the oil and seasonings are evenly distributed.
- Place the baking dish in the oven at 350° uncovered.
- The veggies will take at least 30 minutes and need to be tossed a couple times during cooking. They may need longer depending on how crisp or soft you prefer. If you want them a little browned, turn the broiler on for a few minutes at the end of the cooking time.
Roasted vegetables are so good. I think too many people just boiled them until tasteless and that is why there were not appreciated. At least today we treat them with a bit more respect.
Agreed!
Mmmmm! Sounds yummy! We love our veggies here, but they usually involve lots of butter 🙂
Yeh, we go through a lot of butter at our house. I’m always happy to discover an alternative.