Getting more Veggies in your Winter Diet

It seems like it is easier to get fresh vegetables into the diet during the warmer months, with all the salad greens and tomatoes and such. But it is just as important to get your veggies in the winter months as well, especially when we are drawn to more unhealthy foods that are heavier, greasier and more caloric! Of course you can add veggies to winter soups and stews, which is my favorite way to use them en mass. And this is a great thing to do on the weekends or in your crock pot. There are a plethora of cookbooks out there that will supply you with all the recipes you want. But during the week, I often yearn for some good, sweet veggies that I can cook up quickly and enjoy simply. Enter the roasted vegetable.

Roasting veggies is a way to cook them quickly, simply, and it really brings out the sweetness in them by using the process of caramelization. Think onions here. You know how onions get all gooey and sweet after slowly cooking them for a long time? Well, you can accomplish this in a quicker, easier way by roasting in the oven. You can roast many different veggies, but I prefer mainly the root veggies like carrots, beets, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and also squashes. Simply preheat your oven to around 400 degrees, and oil a rimmed baking pan. I usually line the pan with foil to make clean up a snap, and then oil the foil. Cut the veggies into uniform pieces, usually around an inch is good. Put them in a bowl, where you will add a tablespoon of olive oil and coat the pieces, using your hands to cover all cut sides. You can also dust them now with seasonings like red pepper, paprika, or sea salt. Then put them on the baking pan, not overlapping, and roast until they begin to brown and are soft enough for you. Toss them around every 20 minutes or so, so they cook evenly. I guarantee you will love this, and so will your kids because the veggies come out so intensely sweet! I make a whole meal out of them!

For a more detailed article on roasting veggies, I recommend searching the Culinate website and look for the article by Alanna Kellogg entitled ”Tips for Roasting Vegetables”. If you are in my Tuesday group, this was one of the handouts last week.

I encourage you to try roasting vegetables. It is an easy, no fuss way to prepare a large amount of veggies. You can add any leftovers to salads or sandwiches for a yummy taste treat. Please enjoy them and eat thenm often!!

Be well, Diane