Fall Fitness Challenge Recipe: Oven Roasting Vegetables

Incorporating more vegetables into your diet isn't always easy, but there are ways to make them not only nutritious but delicious as well. I’m a big fan of roasting vegetables, especially now that the weather is getting colder.

Roasted vegetables are a perfect side for any meal, and there are so many vegetables and flavour variations that you can do. My personal favourites are brussel sprouts, zucchini and broccoli, so here are my tried and true recipes for each of these.

Brussel Sprouts

I know that many people think that they don’t like brussel sprouts (I used to be one of those people!), but its often the way that they have been prepared that turns people off. Roasting them gives them a wonderful nutty taste and often leave people coming back to seconds. Which is a good thing because these little bad boys are not only high in fiber, but they also contain many nutrients that help your body fight disease, including cancer.

What you'll need:
1 pound Brussels Sprouts
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Trim the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any damaged outer leaves. Halve each sprout lengthwise.

Toss in a large bowl with oil, salt and pepper.

Lay sprouts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

They're ready when they turn a nice deep golden brown on the crisp outside and tender on the inside.

Transfer sprouts to a serving bowl, scatter Pecorino Romano over the top and serve. 

Zucchini or Summer Squash

The zucchini season may be coming to end now, but I'm just not ready to stop eating it yet. This past week I was at the farmer's market and picked up a huge summer squash. I instantly wanted to make roasted zucchini/summer squash...one of my favorites!

What you'll need:
2 medium Zucchini or one large summer squash.
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Garlic Powder

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4" thick medallions.

Toss with olive oil, sprinkling in salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven, flip and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Return to the oven for another 8 minutes.

They will come out nicely roasted, with deliciously perfect melted cheese. If they weren't hot coming out of the oven, I'd probably eat them right off the pan.

Roasted Broccoli

Unfortunately I forgot to take photos of roasting this broccoli, but now that you've seen the photos for the other two recipes, I sure that you can figure this one out too :)

What you'll need:
A large head of broccoli
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Cut broccoli into florets and dry with a clean dish towel. (This is important!).
Toss the florets with the olive oil and sugar.
Spread the florets on a baking sheet lined with tin foil
Broil for 5-7 minutes until the edges start to turn brown and crispy.

This is THE best way to make broccoli, and it turns out great every time.

If you like roasted vegetables, also give my favorite Parsnip Fries a try :)

Printable Versions:
Roasted Brussel Spouts
Roasted Zucchini
Roasted Broccoli