Roasted Vegetables

Need a healthy side dish but don't have the time or energy to spend making something fancy? Want to turn that bitter, tasteless, or otherwise revolting vegetable into something sweet and delicious? Then roast it! I have not met a vegetable yet that I do not like after it has spent a little time in the oven getting soft and a bit caramelized from the natural sugars. There is no real recipe for this (actually you can find plenty, but this is a dish best suited for the term "to taste") so the possibilities are endless.

Step 1 - Wash and chop vegetables. You obviously don't want your pieces to be too different in size because they will cook differently, but you don't have to be too precise, either.Cut them bigger than you want your finished pieces to be because they get smaller the longer you leave them in there.

Step 2 - Put in pan and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil (or spray with oil mister if you're lucky enough to have one...I really should get one). I used to sprinkle with salt and pepper, but now we share with the Kid so no salt for us. Pepper if I'm feeling adventurous.

Step 3 - Stick pan in 400 degree oven until veggies are soft and starting to brown. You don't have to leave them in until they brown, but that just makes them sweeter and yummier (is that really a word?).

Step 4 - EAT!!

If you are anything like my annoying wonderful husband you are screaming at the computer "how long do they stay in the oven?" Until they are done, of course. Really this all depends on the vegetable and your preference. 35-40 minutes is a good, general time guideline for most vegetables for me, except summer squash, which cooks much faster and only takes about 15-20 (max) to taste like caramelized goodness.

The vegetables pictured are carrots and Brussels sprouts; night before last we had cauliflower and radishes. Broccoli, most root vegetables, and most squashes taste great this way. Try it sometime. You'll be surprised what nasty vegetables you suddenly love and even crave!