Dinner for One: Roasted Vegetables

Here's another favorite that is so easy to make and so very versatile as well. You really can use whatever spices your heart desires.....it's such a comforting dish and especially warming this time of year.....there's a version with veg alone or you can add a couple of bone-in chicken breasts to pack in some protein!

I just take a variety of veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips ( these are amazing done this way! so sweet), onions...and in the sample above I used cauliflower-which is wonderful roasted. I highly encourage you to try it! Cut the vegetables so that they are as similar in size as possible so they cook at the same pace. For instance, you can cut them all in rounds or coins, or cut in uniform sticks like I did in the above photo. I really like to use a sheet pan for this so that the veggies are spread out in one layer. This way you get that yummy caramelization that brings out the sweetness in the vegetables. Don't be too heavy handed with the oil either....just use enough to lightly coat the veggies ( it's best to use a large bowl to get them evenly coated). Get the oven preheated to 400°F too.

Now, depending on your mood, you can use a combination of fresh herbs that you just tuck in amongst the veggies...I love sage and rosemary, but thyme and oregano work great too. I also like to tuck in several whole cloves of garlic for more intense flavor.....Some salt, pepper and you are good to go. Let 'em roast for anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour....after the first 20 minutes, go in and give them a toss to make sure they get evenly roasted......

Here is my version with the chicken:


I just tucked in 2 bone-in chicken breasts that I seasoned with lemon, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.


This photo is not so great, but you can see how nicely the veggies caramelized....the nice thing is that they are so moist on the inside, a little crunchy on the outside...healthy and low fat too!!