Add versatility to your meals with a big batch of roasted vegetables. Karen Schneider / For The Forecaster
Karen Schneider cooks and writes in the village of Cundy’s Harbor. You can reach her at iwrite33@comcast.net or 504-0545.
I was an extremely picky eater as a child and ate very few vegetables. I was a real pain in the neck when it came to dinnertime and it still shocks me that my parents put up with me. In the veggie department, I ate only baked potato skins, French fries (they’re a vegetable, right?), lettuce, cucumbers, celery, raw carrots, raw garden peas, raw cabbage, corn on the cob and frozen corn.
Our family ate dinner together at 5 p.m. sharp every evening and the rule was that I had to try one teeny tiny taste of the vegetables served. The strategy did not work. For instance, I was in my 20s before I would eat a tomato or anything made from a tomato, or a full-on potato.
I was at least 30 before I cozied up to sweet potatoes, any kind of bean, squash or (EEK!) cruciferous vegetables. Now I’m currently befriending beets and am proud to say I’m mostly vegetarian. Prepping a big pan of seasoned-up roasted vegetables has become part of my weekly routine – mixing and matching, using what’s in season and experimenting with dried herbs and different marinades and sauces.
These roasted veggies can be tossed with pasta, added to sauce, stirred into a bowl of rice or quinoa, stuffed into a wrap, marbled into an omelet or frittata, or simply served alongside anything from scrambled eggs to a rack of lamb.
And hey, this past week I made my first-ever butternut squash soup. I couldn’t believe how easy it was, especially since I had scored peeled, chopped organic squash at the grocery store.
I also used packaged vegetable broth, but I encourage you to make your own. Or you can add a vegetable bouillon cube or “Better than Bouillon” to step up the flavor of the soup even more.
The squash can be roasted ahead and/or the soup can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to five days or frozen up to three months. Be sure to add an extra splash of milk (any plant-based milk works well in this recipe) when serving and don’t forget those roasted pumpkin seeds. Toasted sunflower seeds or roasted chickpeas work well, too. It’s my firm belief that every soup is elevated when adorned with crunchy bits.
Roasted vegetables
1 medium eggplant, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch slices
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch slices
1 colored pepper, cut into chunks
1 large onion, cut into chunks
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Combine the herbs with salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Place the veggies on the pan, pour olive oil over all, sprinkle with herb mixture, and mix with your hands or a big spoon to coat everything thoroughly, spreading vegetables in a single layer.
Roast until tender and just beginning to brown, about 1 hour, stirring halfway through roasting time.
Yield: 4 servings
Roasted butternut squash soup
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1 onion, quartered
2 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 teaspoon ginger
Red pepper flakes, optional
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup canned coconut milk, plus more for serving
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a large, rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.
Place butternut squash, onion and garlic on the prepared baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and spices. Toss to combine. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting time, until squash is fork-tender and golden.
While vegetables are roasting, heat the broth in a large saucepan.
When vegetables are done, pop the roasted garlic out of its skin, and transfer the garlic, squash and onions into the pot of broth. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until completely smooth, or allow the soup to cool somewhat, then pour into a conventional blender and puree until smooth. Blend in coconut milk and gently reheat in the pan if needed. Serve with a drizzle more coconut milk and garnish with pumpkin seeds.
Yield: 4 servings
Copy the Story LinkComments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
