(I'll photo document all of the food prep next week leading up to Thanksgiving, and then amend each of these posts.)
Confession time: I despise canned and frozed vegetables, with the lone exception of edamame. I hate the texture, I loathe the diminished flavor. The washed out coloring seals it for me. I love vibrant and flavorful vegetables roasted, lightly steamed or raw and crunchy.
At Thanksgiving, I usually keep the vegetables simple. The big meal is filled with so many heavy dishes, creams and gravies, that I think the vegetables should be minimally adorned. I know the ubiquitous green bean casserole with french fried onions is considered a staple on many a November dinner table, but I find it inedible. (Admittedly, the last time I ate it I was pregnant with the twins, and every food that betrayed me during pregnancy is still exiled today. I'm looking at you, bananas.) So for your Thanksgiving dining pleasure, I bring you roasted vegetables!
Autumn Roasted Vegetables
- Two red or orange bell peppers, cubed
- 16 oz baby bella mushrooms, stems removed
- One bunch of asparagus, chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces, tough ends removed
- Four carrots, cut into diagonal pieces or one bag of crinkle cut carrots (let the bagged carrots dry out a little before using)
- 3 medium zucchini, cut into quartered chunks
- One small sweet onion, cut into one inch pieces
Heat oven to 400°. Place all vegetables in a large bowl and toss with a light flavored, extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and dried rosemary and thyme to your taste. Alternatively, if you can find Weber's Veggie Grill Seasoning, use that alone. Spread veggies on a rimmed baking sheet, maintaining an even layer. Place sheet in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing two or three times during cooking. If you like softer vegetables, bake for a few minutes longer. I like them to maintain a little crunch.
Get creative! You can add chunks of sweet potatoes, halved new potatoes, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, etc. When using potatoes, I usually microwave them for a couple minutes before putting in the oven since they take longer to cook. Serve the veggies right out of the oven. On summer nights, I grill these and I'm content to eat them with nothing more than a piece of naan or buttered flatbread.
