Roasted Veggies AKA Candy

These roasted veggies are a staple at every family gathering that involves food, but I also like to make them as a side dish on week nights because they are SO easy to prepare, healthy, and ABSOLUTELY addicting. They caramelize in the oven... and taste like CANDY!!!

Roasted Veggies AKA Candy

The best part about these roasted veggies is that you can use whatever you have in your produce drawer (garlic, onions, mushrooms, any kind of squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, etc.) The list could go on forever! You can use any kind of vinegar (balsamic, red wine, apple cider, etc.) or another acid like lemon juice. You can play with different spices and herbs to create unique flavor combinations. Nuts are great additions. Slivered almonds are my personal favorite for added nuttiness and crunch. It's also super delicious with some kind of fruit added in, like grapes or diced apples. Have fun with it! I try different combinations every time I make these!

Recipe:

2 cups sliced or diced veggies (for this blog post I used eggplant, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes)

1 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice (I used red wine vinegar for this post)

1 tbsp. olive oil

Coarse ground salt and pepper

2 tsp. garlic or onion powder (this time I used onion powder but you can use either one or both)

1 tsp. Italian herbs or paprika (I used paprika this time -- but a combination of cinnamon and allspice is DELICIOUS if you're roasting any kind of squash or sweet potato)

Ingredients for Roasted Veggies AKA Candy

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss veggies with oil, acid, and spices to combine.

Raw veggies after tossing with oil, vinegar, and spices

Cover (foil works well if you don't have a covered baking dish) and bake for approximately 45 minutes.

I used my Pampered Chef Round Covered Baker

I can eat a whole baking dish of these by myself! Enjoy!

Veggies after Roasting

Roasted veggies are a great side dish. I served mine with *Lighter* Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Sweet Potato Stew with Easy Herbed Peasant Bread

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables. Absolutely delicious, they are also rich in complex carbohydrates, full of fiber, protein, vitamins A and C, beta carotene, iron and calcium. When eaten with the skin, they have more fiber than oatmeal! So I left the skin on when I made this stew... but whether you do or not, that's up to you!

This stew is hearty, filling, and very healthy. It goes PERFECT with my Easy Herbed Peasant Bread.

Ingredients:
Produce:
3 medium sweet potatoes
4 garlic cloves
1 medium yellow or white onion
1 yellow bell pepper
4 celery stalks
4 cups raw field greens or spinach

 Spices:
 Coarse ground salt and pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

 Other Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 can diced tomatoes & green chilis
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced (optional)
8 cups broth (see my tutorial for homemade chicken broth)

Directions:
Mince garlic and chop onions, peppers, and celery.

Heat olive oil in a stock pot on medium high, and saute the garlic and chopped veggies in the oil.

 Cook the onion mixture on the stove until it becomes translucent. While you wait (stirring occasionally), you can cut the sweet potatoes.

Once your onions are translucent, add the spices, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and canned diced tomatoes. Stir, and let meld for a minute or two. Add your broth, bring to a boil, then add the sweet potatoes.

Let the sweet potatoes simmer on medium high heat for about 20 minutes until they are soft when stabbed with a fork or knife. While you wait, you can chop your field greens or spinach.

The next step is totally optional, depending on the consistency you want your stew to be. I took an immersion blender and slightly pureed the sweet potatoes. They were not smooth and creamy, just more diced and blended with the soup itself, to create a thick base.

Once your stew is the consistency you are going for, add the chopped field greens and diced cooked chicken breasts (optional).

 Turn heat down to medium low, and allow the greens to become wilted, stirring occasionally. Your stew is ready to be served!!

This is such a healthy, delicious and nutritious dinner. It's hearty, filling, and full of protein and fiber. You'll notice sweet and spicy notes, and comforting flavors reminiscent of cozy holiday meals. Served with herbed peasant bread and a hot cup of tea, this meal is perfect for a cold winter's night!

Fast & Easy Herbed Peasant Bread

This peasant bread has been a family holiday tradition of mine for the past several years. It is now a staple at every major gathering that involves food. It's tons easier than you would imagine, and absolutely delicious. Because of how easy it is to throw together, and requires no kneading whatsoever, I like to bake this whenever I make a big pot of soup or stew. It soaks up the broth PERFECTLY...

Once you bake this peasant bread, I'm sure it will become a favorite recipe of yours too! 

Ingredients:
2 tsp instant yeast
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups lukewarm water

2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal or polenta
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp of each: garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano (can use dried or fresh herbs depending on availability)

1-2 tbsp melted butter (optional)

Directions:
Dissolve the sugar into the water, then sprinkle the yeast over it (stirring is optional), and set aside for a few minutes.

Proofed Yeast

Dry Ingredients

While waiting for the yeast to proof, get out 2 glass or ceramic pie plates (casserole dishes will work too). Rub the pie plates with a paper towel coated in shortening or butter, and sprinkle flour over it. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and herbs. Once your yeast is foamy (usually takes 5 to 10 minutes), add the water mixture to the flour mixture, and stir well with a wooden spoon.

Mixed Dough

With a spatula, put half of your dough in one pie plate, and the rest in the other. Flatten and spread the dough in the pie plates and pour the melted butter (equally) over both doughs.

Dough before rising

Place both pie plates in a warm dry place (I use my oven), with a warm, damp (clean) kitchen towel laid over them.

The oven is a great place for dough to rise

Let the dough rise. Because we used instant yeast, this should only require one rising, and should only take 60 to 90 minutes. Once the doughs are doubled in size, remove them from the oven so you can preheat it. :)

Dough after rising

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Once it's preheated, bake your loaves for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, rotate your pie plates, lower the temperature to 375 degrees, and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes.

Test the bread to make sure its done. It should be golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.

Bread after baking

Now that the bread is out of the oven, slide a butter knife around the edge of both pie plates. You can feel when the bread is loose enough to pop out of the pie plate. Place the loaves on a large cutting  board, and using a bread knife, slice both loaves into 1-inch strips. You can also cut the strips in half so they are shorter (see photo).

Place on a serving dish and prepare for your guests to Ooh and Aah!! This is great with soup, stew, as a side dish at a holiday dinner, or as an appetizer with a dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I have even made delicious grilled sandwiches with the leftover bread. It is the best bread I have ever eaten!!!!!

Herbed Peasant Bread with Sweet Potato Stew

Split Pea Soup with Sausage

This split pea soup is so delicious. I mean, seriously, lick-the-bowl, delicious. Just thinking about it makes me want to go to the store right now, at 10pm, and buy a bag of split peas so I can make it again!

Split peas are a great source of protein. Without the sausage, this would be a very healthy dish... but... split peas and pork go SO great together, like two "peas" in a pod. LOL, okay now for the recipe!!

Ingredients:
1 16-oz bag of dried split peas
1 19-oz package of Italian sausage links (I prefer sweet or mild over hot but any will do)
1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp coarse ground pepper

1 tbsp Italian seasoning (I used Pampered Chef Herbs de Provence Seasoning Mix pictured to the right -- DELICIOUS -- but regular Italian seasoning will still be wonderful)
8 cups broth (see my tutorial for homemade chicken broth)





Instructions:
Rinse and sort the split peas and set aside.

Heat a grill pan or skillet on medium heat and brown the sausage links.

 Remove from heat, cool for a few minutes, and slice the sausages.

Melt some butter or heat some oil over medium-high heat in a stock pot and saute the garlic, onions, and yellow peppers. Add sausage slices, then seasonings.

 

 Let meld for 1 or 2 minutes then add the broth and split peas.

 Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 Taste for salt and pepper. Add more seasoning if needed.

 Serve and enjoy! I served mine with crescent rolls, zucchini sticks, and this delicious mashed butternut squash.

 MMMMMM!!!!!!! So yummy!!!!!!!

Delicious and (Healthy!) Mashed Butternut Squash

This butternut squash recipe is healthy and super easy! Butternut squash is full of many nutrients including vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber. Plus, my five-year-old son just saw the picture below and said, "that is one giant peanut!" Bahahaha!

 Ingredients:

1/3 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1/3 Cup Half & Half
1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp Coarse Ground Pepper
1/2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 Tsp Allspice
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsp Paprika
1/4 Cup Diced Green Onions (see my tutorial for growing green onions on your windowsill)
1/2 Diced White or Yellow Onion
3 or 4 Minced Garlic Cloves
AND, 1 Butternut Squash!!!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce butternut squash all over with a fork or knife. Bake whole squash in a pan or casserole dish for approximately an hour, until it's soft (test it by piercing it again with fork or knife). Let it cool to room temperature, then peel butternut squash, remove seeds and stringy fibers, until you are left with just the cooked butternut squash.

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a tablespoon of oil or butter in a pan and saute the garlic, green onions, and white or yellow onions. Add seasonings, and saute until onions are soft and translucent.

Now, put the squash puree, onion mixture, and half & half and yogurt in a mixing bowl. This is the fun part! And you are almost done!!

 Using an immersion blender, puree the squash till smooth and creamy (you can also use another method like a food processor). Taste-test the mixture. Add more seasoning if needed.

 Spread the mixture into a casserole dish (I used the same one I baked the squash in).

 Place in oven and bake until the top starts to turn brown (about 30-45 minutes).

Serve and enjoy! This is a very healthy and nutritious alternative to mashed potatoes. I served mine with pork pot roast and salad. And the next day it went beautifully with this delicious soup.