Integrating that lone potato, pepper, carrot or squash in a meal isn't that hard. Why not try oven-baked vegetables to bring out new textures and flavors, inexpensively and easily, without boiling, frying or microwaving.
Sometimes asking children to prepare and select 2 or 3 different veggies helps get that "magical five" into their daily dose.
Surprisingly, all the vegetables "finish" cooking at the same time, but if you prefer much crunchier peppers, celery or squash, add them to the oven about half way through the baking time.
Ingredients:
- Favorite vegetables (root vegetables are excellent, however we enjoy just about all our vegetables in this manner).
- Olive Oil (or Grape Seed Oil)
- Italian Herbal Seasonings (OR your family's favorites OR seasoning packets such as Ranch, Taco, Asian, Herbal for a change in flavor)
- Salt, Pepper as desired
- Cookie Sheet and Parchment Paper (this prevents sticking and burning - and helps with clean-up, too!)
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Chop Vegetables into desired shapes and sizes.
The smaller the sizes, the shorter the cooking time.
Place into plastic bag.
Add oil and Italian Herbal Seasoning (or seasonings of your choice. Substitute with seasoning packages if desired).
Twist top of bag, and shake well so that all the pieces are coated.
Place parchment paper on baking sheet, spread out vegetables, add a tiny amount of kosher or sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.
Bake at 400F for about 40 minutes, depending on chopped sizes, and desired doneness.
Sometimes we leave out the oil in order to achieve a different flavor and/or texture.
Vegetables which are roasted have a richer flavor, enhancing meals and providing interesting tastiness when preparing them for soups or side dishes such as mashing or served with sauces.
Roast Eggplant, Sweet Potatoes, or Potatoes may be sliced lengthwise, in disks or cubed to create finger food, or prepare for layering in casseroles, as an alternative to frying or boiling.
