It’s starting to get cooler! Fall is coming: you can use the oven again! Most importantly, the best of summer crops are in our Harvest Home Farmers’ Markets. The choices of fruits and veggies are huge! Never mind making choices. Have a bit of everything. Pan-roast all your favorites into one big, easy dish, a rainbow of taste and nutrition. Roasting brings out the flavor and the juices, and keeps more nutrients. Mixing different colors of veggies makes a really nutritious, family-pleasing meal!
Pan Roasting in the oven: The more color, the more nutrition. Chop up your favorite veggies, add a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and seasoning that you like, and bake for 30-40 minutes. This no-fuss cooking method gives you a feast!
Pre-heat your oven to 425°. Chop veggies into 2” pieces.
Place on a baking sheet. (For easier clean-up, cover baking sheet with tin foil)
Drip a bit of olive oil on the veggies, just enough to lightly coat them. (Don’t coat the baking sheet) Add salt and pepper. Mix with your hands. Add any other seasoning you enjoy. Spread veggies into a single layer. Check tips for how long to cook different veggies. Some take longer than others and need to be started first.
Bake in the oven for 20-40 minutes, depending on what veggies you use. Toss with a spatula every 10-15 minutes until veggies are cooked the way you want.
Check the timing on the veggies you are cooking. You can start pan-roasting with the harder ones and add the softer ones later. Hard veggies like sweet potatoes, parsnips, beets, carrots need the most cooking time; softer veggies like squash, tomatoes, onions, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, mushrooms need less. (See tips below for veggie timing) You can even roast chicken thighs at the same time (see recipe below).
Enjoy an easy, delicious, family-pleasing meal with a rainbow of taste without a lot of fuss!
Perfectly Roasted
Recipe: chicken and veggies
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. boneless, skinless thighs or 1½–2 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs
6-8 medium whole carrots, cut into sticks
2 large handfuls of green beans, washed and trimmed
2 yellow summer squash or zucchini, cut into 1” slices
1 large sweet potato, cut into strips (or baby red potatoes, halved or quartered)
1 medium red onion, cut into wedges
3–4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (1 Tablespoon of fresh)
¾ teaspoon thyme (2 teaspoons fresh)
1 Tablespoon oil (Olive oil is best)
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
TO MAKE:
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with tin foil
Toss chopped vegetables and herbs with oil right on the baking sheet.
Place chicken thighs on top of the vegetables.
Season all with salt and pepper.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender. Toss and turn vegetables once or twice during cooking.
NOTE: Chicken cooks easily over any veggie combo.
Reheat any leftovers in the oven at 350° for about 6 minutes. Heating in the microwave can make the veggies soggy rather than crisp.
Tips & Tricks:
Make a different meal: Use any combo of veggies you like: skip the potatoes and add a different starch to the finished veggies
Mix with brown rice & a squeeze of lemon (cook separately)
Mix with short pasta. (Cook separately)
Cooking Time For Pan-Roasted Veggies:
Hard: Root veggies like sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, rutabagas, 30-45 minutes
Firm: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, onion, 15-25
Soft: zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, green beans, 10-20
Test for tenderness with a fork; look for crispy outside. If not crispy, add 5 minutes to the cooking time
Combo Suggestions: Combos are endless.
Try your own. Cut veggies into 1 to 2-inch chunks or slices. Use just a bit of olive oil with the seasonings you want. Suggestions:
Sweet potato, broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash with 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning & ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. Add cheese in the last 5 minutes.
Zucchini, summer squash, green beans, bell peppers, broccoli. cherry tomatoes with curry
Cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, carrots
Tricks:
If you are mixing potatoes with softer veggies like broccoli or squash, cook the chunks of potatoes for 10 minutes before adding with the other veggies to the pan.
Add a bit of hot pepper or red pepper flakes for a spicier dish
For a stronger herbal taste, add seasoning in the last 10 minutes.
