Roasted Lemon Cabbage

INGREDIENTS

1 head of green cabbage
2 Tbspextra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Lemon slices, for serving cabbage (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the head of cabbage into 8 equal wedges, cutting through the core and stem end. Carefully trim the thick core and stem from each wedge and arrange wedges in a single layer on a non-stick cookie sheet.

Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice, then use a pastry brush to brush the top sides of each cabbage wedge with the mixture. Season generously with sea salt and pepper. Carefully turn the wedges over, then brush the other side with the olive oil/lemon juice mixture and season with more salt and pepper.

Roast cabbage for about 15 minutes, or until the side touching the pan is nicely browned. Turn the wedges and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cabbage is nicely browned and cooked through. Serve hot, with additional lemon slices to squeeze lemon juice on at the table if desired.

Bright Roasted Veggies

INGREDIENTS

6 beets
6 carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, then quartered
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup orange juice
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
   
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the beets in a small ovenproof pan with a little water; cover with a lid or foil. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets.

After about 40 minutes, toss the carrots with the olive oil. Put them in a separate baking pan and roast for 15 to 25 minutes.

When the beets are tender when poked with a fork, remove them from the oven. Cool just enough so you can handle them safely, then cut off the stem ends and slip off the skins. Cut in to bite-sized pieces.

Toss the beets and carrots with the melted butter and the orange juice; add salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped dill.

Flavourful Roasted Carrots

INGREDIENTS 

10 carrots, scrubbed and peeled if desired
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp fresh ginger
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
3 Tbsp plain yogurt 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the carrots in half first, then cut lengthwise into sticks. Toss them with about half a tablespoon of olive oil and with salt and pepper to taste. In a roasting pan, roast until tender (30 to 60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the sticks).

In the meantime, finely grate the garlic and ginger. Mix them with the remaining olive oil, the dill, and the yogurt. Use the back of a large spoon to crush the dill and ginger bits against the side of the bowl to release the flavours. Pour the sauce over the carrots and serve hot or at room temperature.

Stuffed Roasted Pears

INGREDIENTS

Filling:
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp honey
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp grated orange rind

Pears:
4 large pears
1/3 cup honey, divided
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp orange juice

DIRECTIONS

Filling: In a bowl, blend the cream cheese, the two tablespoons of honey, the egg yolk, and the orange rind until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the pears in half lengthwise. Trim a thin slice off the skin-side so the pear halves are level. For each half, remove the core and enough of the centre to make 1 and 1/2 inch wide by 3/4 inch deep groove, being careful not to piece through the bottom or sides of the pear. Place the pears cut side up in a well-greased 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.

In a small pot, heat 1/4 cup of the honey, the butter, and the orange juice until melted. Stir well and then brush all over the pears.

Turn pears cut side down. Bake, basting every 10 minutes, for 30 minutes. Turn pears over and baste again, then bake for another 10 minutes.

If there is any liquid pooled in the pears, pour it into the baking dish. Fill the groove in each pear with a generous tablespoon of the filling.

In a bowl, stir together the remaining honey and 1/3 cup of boiling water. Stir into the syrup that's forming in the baking dish. Bake the pears, basting once, until the filling is puffed and the pears are golden and tender, about 30 minutes. When serving, spoon syrup from the baking dish over the pears.

Smashed and Crisped Fingerling Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

1.5 lbs fingerling potatoes
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).

Lightly scrub the potatoes. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Place each potato on a cutting board and use the bottom of a heavy saucepan to gently smash each potato until slightly flattened. Take care not to "over-smash", or the potatoes will fall apart. Transfer the flattened potatoes to a baking sheet.

Drizzle the potatoes with half of the oil and sprinkle with half of the salt and the pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Turn the potatoes over and sprinkle with remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Bake until golden and crispy, about 10 minutes.

Roasted Beets with the Greens

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch beets with greens
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chopped onion
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp wine vinegar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Wash the beets and greens thoroughly, leaving the skins on the roots (it is easier to peel them after roasting, if desired). Cut the greens off the roots, remove any thick stems, tear into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and set aside.

Place the beets in a small baking dish or roasting pan and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife can slide easily through the largest beet. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel if desired and slice.

When the roasted beets are almost done, heat the remaining 2 olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent, about a minute. Add the greens to the skillet. Cook and stir until greens are wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, pile the greens on a plate and top with sliced roasted beets. Optional: drizzle with wine vinegar or add a bit of butter, salt, and pepper to the sliced beets.

Roasted Parsnips

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs of parsnips, peeled and cut into 2 1/2 inch sticks
4 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup of vegetable broth
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
4 tsp drained, bottled horseradish
1/2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
1/2 small garlic clove, minced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large roasting pan, toss the parsnips with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the broth, cover, and roast, stirring once or twice, until the parsnips are tender and the stock has evaporated or been absorbed, about 20 to 45 minutes (depending on how tender the parsnips are to begin with). Check often to avoid the parsnips getting mushy.

Combine the softened butter with the horseradish, parsley, and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Toss the warm roasted parsnips with the horseradish-herb butter and serve.

Serves 4.

Roasted Yams with Maple Syrup

INGREDIENTS

Extra virgin olive oil
2-3 yams, peeled and cut into chunks
Sea salt and pepper
1 - 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
1 - 2 Tbsp pecan pieces
1 Tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a baking sheet. Place the diced yam on the baking sheet then drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until yam is tender when pierced with a fork.

Oil a baking dish. Pour the roasted yam into the baking dish followed by the dried cranberries and pecan pieces. Mix the melted butter and maple syrup together then drizzle on top of the yam mixture, tossing to coat. Cover and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 5 minutes. Taste and drizzle with more syrup if needed. Serve immediately.

Roasted Cabbage and Apples

Roasting cabbage gives it additional flavour (and won't stink up the house.) The addition of apples lends a sweetness that blends beautifully with the cabbage.

INGREDIENTS

1 head green cabbage, cored and cut into eight wedges
3 firm apples (Gala, Fuji, or similar), cored and cut into 16 wedges each
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Separate cabbage leaves and spread evenly on a cookie sheet with sides. Cover tightly with foil. Cook 20 minutes, or until tender.

Remove foil and add apple slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook about 30 minutes more, mixing gently occasionally, until some of the cabbage has begun to brown and the apples are tender.

Roasted Turnips with Maple-Mustard Glaze

INGREDIENTS

4 lbs turnips, peeled, and cut into 1-inch wedges
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp stone-ground mustard
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place the turnips in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook the turnips in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften. Drain well and set aside.

Lightly oil a large baking dish and set aside.

In a saucepan, place the maple syrup, mustard, olive oil, toasted sesame oil, and salt and pepper, and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes to blend the flavours. Place the drained turnips in the prepared baking dish and pour the warm maple-mustard mixture over the turnips. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting the turnips with the sauce every 20-30 minutes, or until the turnips are golden brown and very tender.

Serves 8 - 10.

Roasting Peppers Under the Broiler

This simple method of roasting peppers can be done with any broiler and with any pepper, be it red or green, sweet or spicy.

Cut peppers in half lengthwise, then remove the stem, seeds, and the white membrane. Flatten pepper halves by squashing them with the palm of your hand onto a flat surface. Particularly bumpy or deeply ridged peppers may require that you cut off and remove the pointed (non stem) end as well to flatten the pepper.

Lay peppers skin-side-up on a foiled-lined baking sheet and broil, 4 to 6 inches away from the heat source, until blackened all over, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully and rotate pan as needed to blacken as evenly as possible.

Remove from oven, then pull up edges of foil and envelop broiled peppers. Seal and let sit at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour to soften the peppers.

Unwrap foil around peppers. Pull off and discard skins. The skins should slip right off in whole (or practically whole) pieces.

Roasted peppers can be used in recipes or frozen in air-tight containers or resealable plastic bags for future use. Roasted sweet bell peppers can be sprinkled with olive oil and salt for a simple appetizer or side dish.

Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes With Parmesan

INGREDIENTS

2 small eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
6 roma tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 to 8 basil leaves, finely chopped, or about 1 tsp dried basil
Fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Spray a large shallow baking pan with olive oil spray or grease with olive oil. Heat oven to 425°.

In a large food storage bag or bowl, toss the sliced eggplant and tomatoes with the salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, and basil.

Spread the sliced tomatoes and eggplant out in the prepared baking pan in a single layer (overlapping a little is okay, but if you're stacking, use 2 pans).

Bake the slices for 35 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables are nicely browned. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 to 6.

Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 large beets
1 lb fresh fennel
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
Black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 oz feta

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cut the stem and tip ends off of the beets. Scrub well and wrap in aluminum foil.

Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool. (This may be done in advance and the beets place in the refrigerator overnight.)

Remove the leafy ends from the fennel and any stalk that appear too tough. Slice very thinly.

Place the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Remove the beets from the aluminum foil. The skins will slip off easily after roasting. After they are skinned, cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

Mix together the beets, sautéed fennel, salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and crumbled feta. Chill well.

Kid-Friendly Crispy Kale

Although the kale is roasted, not fried, it becomes crispy and salty, almost like french fries.

INGREDIENTS

6-8 cups chopped fresh kale, hard stems removed
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Place a rack on the lowest shelf of your oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Drizzle chopped kale with olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Toss to coat completely. Spread on a sturdy baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir, then bake another 8 to 12 minutes or until kale is crispy. It should be just lightly browned and crispy to the touch.

If the kale still bends, rather than crackles, when you touch it, it isn't done yet. Return it to the oven and cook until crispy. Turn down the heat if it is getting too brown.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve hot.

Summer Beet Salads

To retain the flavour, nutrients, and cancer-fighting benefits of beets, do not overcook them. Don't peel them first, and leave the root and an inch or so of stem to keep them from turning everything bright red. To boil, cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender After cooking, run them under cold water, then peel and slice. To roast them, place beets in a roasting pan and add a little water for steam. Roast in a covered pan at 425 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes or until the beets are easily pierced with a knife, then trim and slip off the skins under running water and slice or dice.

If you're mixing beets with other vegetables (in a salad, for instance), cook and dress the beets separately and add them last. Their vivid colour will seep into everything else otherwise.

Cooked beets can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or two, and in the freezer for longer than that, all without damage to their taste or nutritional value, so if you cook a big batch on a cool day, you’ll be all set for delicious beets salads during the next heat wave.

Spinach, Goat Feta, & Beet Salad

An easy and sophisticated salad can be made with leftover beets, spinach, and goat feta. Wash the spinach carefully and remove the stems. Chop your cooked beets into cubes or slice them 1cm thick. The goat cheese can be served in slices or crumbled over the salad. Dress with a vinaigrette or a splash of balsamic vinegar and some extra virgin olive oil. Delicious variations on this salad include adding walnuts, green apples, pears, and/or avocado.

Avocado, Beet, & Honeydew Salad

Chop your leftover beets into slices or chunks. Do the same with a ripe (but not overripe) avocado and a similarly ripe honeydew melon. Mix together and squeeze lime juice over the whole thing. Serve chilled. This dish works because each of the three main ingredients is mildly sweet in a different way, and the lime unites the flavours and adds some bite. Throw in some fresh berries for a sweeter, fruitier salad. This is good for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs fingerling potatoes
5 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried leaf thyme
Sea salt and black pepper
Cajun seasoning, optional

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a large shallow baking dish.

Scrub potatoes and cut large ones in half. Pat dry. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper, and seasoning if using. Toss potatoes with the garlic and oil mixture. Arrange the coated potatoes in a single layer in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Ovenbaked Blue Potato Chips

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 lb blue potatoes, very thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix oil, salt, sugar, cayenne pepper and lime juice in large bowl. Add to potatoes and toss to coat.

Arrange potatoes in single layer on baking sheets. Bake until potatoes begin to brown on bottom, about 15 minutes. Turn potatoes over and bake until crisp and brown, about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with additional salt if necessary.

Rosemary Roasted Blue Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

1 lb small blue potatoes, unpeeled but washed whole, any sprouts or bruises removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp dried rosemary leaves, slightly crushed
1 Tbsp sea salt, slightly crushed

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cover bottom of a roasting pan with the olive oil.

Cut potatoes into quarters, add to the roasting pan and toss to coat with oil.

Position pan on middle rack of oven. Roast potatoes for 20 minutes.

Turn off oven heat. Stir potatoes and keep them in oven another 10 minutes.

Stir potatoes one last time, then transfer to a serving bowl, tossing the rosemary and salt mixture over them.

Serves 4