Blueprint Roasted Vegetables

You and I both know that vegetables are important. In a perfect world, we would be eating at least five servings of it (the recommendation is five servings of fruits and vegetables everyday). So, I must admit, to rely on a recipe to cook them is rather troublesome. The nice thing is that you don’t have to think very hard with this one. I named this blueprint roasted vegetables because that’s exactly what this is, a blueprint—not really a recipe. It isn’t written in stone. Choose whichever vegetables you please, toss them in a few tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle your preference of dried herbs. It’s fool proof. I have pitched my own blueprint here, but don’t get caught up in it. Follow this “recipe” only if you feel it is beneficial.

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 cups zucchini, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 medium size red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 small red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes, skin left off

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons herb de Provence* (French herb)

2 teaspoons Za’atar* (Middle Eastern spice blend)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons flat-leaf Italian parsley, minced, optional

D i r e c t i o n s

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the vegetables in the olive oil and spread them out on a large sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbe de Provence.

Roast for 45-50 minutes. This could vary depending on how your oven radiates dry heat, so be sure to check on them after the first 20 minutes of roasting and decide how much extra time the vegetables will need. If you like a crunchier texture, take them out earlier.

Douse the vegetables with the balsamic vinegar, and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the Za’atar and fresh parsley. Eat while they are warm.

Za’atar is a Middle Eastern blend of sesame seeds, oregano, basil, thyme, and sumac (a sour fruit that is dried and then grounded). It lends a warm earthy flavor to the vegetables. If you can't find it at your local grocer, try searching online. I love sprinkling Za'atar over whole wheat toast piled with lemony hummus.

Herbes de Provence translates to “Herbs from Provence”, Provence being a Southern region in France. Some of the French will gladly argue that there isn't a particular herb in the mix they have grown up eating, but I have come to the conclusion that there are different versions. This blend that I have used has lavish amounts of thyme, tarragon, basil, savory, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, and even lavender. These days you can find Herb de Provence every where. You can always separately mix in the herbs I have listed, if its what you have on hand.

The combination of these two herb mixes is not common, but I don't care to follow traditional vegetable roasting techniques, I care about the taste. Give it a try.

Priyanka