In the attempt to get 6-9 different vegetables per day, roasting is an easy, healthy, and diverse option.

Roasted Vegetables
Chop vegetables
Sprinkle with grape seed oil
Stir and add till all veggies are lightly coated
Sprinkle with spices and mix till all veggies are lightly coated
Put in a pan and cook in oven somewhere between 350-450 for 20-40 minutes (see notes below)

When I got married I did not know how to make anything but spaghetti (that’s a story for another post) so I never assume that anyone knows how to do anything in the kitchen.  

What veggies can I use?
You can use pretty much anything. Roasting is a great use for the vegetables leftover at the end of the week. Some of my favorite combinations are:

Carrots, Brussels sprouts and red pepper (I also add cauliflower and broccoli if I have some left over). This is great because you can cut the Brussels sprouts really small and they pick up well the flavor of the oil, spices and red pepper. And Brussels sprouts are a super food packed with nutrients. The pepper adds lots of flavor and carrots bring some great additional nutrients and sweet flavors.

Sweet potatoes, beets, and eggplant. In an effort to add the ever-nutritious beet, I created this with what I had on hand. Not only was it sweet and delicious but it looked beautiful.

Another great thing about roasting is that you can even just roast one vegetable if that’s all you have the night before grocery shopping or at the end of the budget month.

Why grape seed oil?
We use grape seed oil (or coconut oil when the flavor works) because of the health benefits when at high heat. Some oils are not best to use at high heats.

What spices?
A great flexibility of roasting veggies, is the variety of spices you can use. You can coordinate the spices to go along with the other items you are cooking. Most of the time I use Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Mix. For the beets, sweet potatoes, etc., I used sea salt, garlic, and rosemary.

Why the variety of cooking temps and times?
Another bonus of roasting vegetables is their flexibility. They can be cooked at a variety of different temperatures so they can be put in the oven with different main or side dishes. The time is mostly dependent on how hard, soft, crunchy etc. you and your family like them.

Food prep options:
If you use carrots, peppers, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli, you can cut, oil and season ahead of time and have for multiple days in a week or to bring on vacation when you want to spend less time chopping.

Leftover roasted veggies are easy to reheat in a saucepan and serve alone or mixed with chopped up chicken leftovers, quinoa, etc. for a great lunch or dinner. (I always make lots of extra for this specific purpose).

Warning:
Moms, beets are a great source of nutrients—especially iron—for the little ones, but when you change their diapers, their poop will be very red and probably freak you out. It’s just the beets 🙂