The Magical Cooking Technique That Will Get You to Eat Your Veggies
By: Stepfanie Romine,
DailySpark Blogger
11/11/2008 4:00 PM
: 333 comments
Recently, I asked you which healthy food you'd like to learn to eat. The responses were diverse and plentiful.
Aside from liver, vegetables were the most common response: from tomatoes to celery, eggplant to green peppers.
While I have blog posts planned for specific vegetables, I wanted to share with you a magic trick I learned a few years ago.
You think you hate vegetables? This foolproof and rather quick cooking technique will have you gobbling up those loathed vegetables and begging for seconds.
So what's the secret?
Roasting!
Roasting concentrates the natural sugars in vegetables and caramelizes the outside, giving those humble vegetables a sweet, rich flavor, a crispy coating and a soft interior.
The technique is simple.
Result: My boyfriend and I ate every last piece of vegetable, with zero complaints. Seriously. He ate carrots. All of them.
Roasted vegetables are magical. Picky children, persnickety husbands and particular friends can't resist them.
And if all else fails, serve them with ketchup! (Just kidding!)
More tips:
Find more recipes for roasted vegetables here.
Have a recipe for roasted vegetables? Share it below?
Photo of acorn squash taken by me
Aside from liver, vegetables were the most common response: from tomatoes to celery, eggplant to green peppers.
While I have blog posts planned for specific vegetables, I wanted to share with you a magic trick I learned a few years ago.
You think you hate vegetables? This foolproof and rather quick cooking technique will have you gobbling up those loathed vegetables and begging for seconds.
So what's the secret?
Roasting!
Roasting concentrates the natural sugars in vegetables and caramelizes the outside, giving those humble vegetables a sweet, rich flavor, a crispy coating and a soft interior.
The technique is simple.
- Empty out your crisper.
One recent night, I roasted:
2 handfuls of radishes
2 carrots
1 large turnip
1 large potato
1 zucchini
1/2 an onion
Those first three vegetables are on my boyfriend's will-not-eat list, and radishes and turnips aren't high on my list of favorite vegetables, either.
- Chop all the vegetables into small pieces. (I like to make them bite size, but you can leave them larger.)
- Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. (Cover the pan with foil for easy clean up.)
- Sprinkle on some salt, pepper and dried herbs (dried rosemary, thyme and oregano are good; so is cumin), then drizzle on some olive oil (about 2 Tablespoons).
- Put them in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes, then placed them under the broiler for another 5 minutes or so (keep a close eye on the broiler so your vegetables don't burn).
Result: My boyfriend and I ate every last piece of vegetable, with zero complaints. Seriously. He ate carrots. All of them.
Roasted vegetables are magical. Picky children, persnickety husbands and particular friends can't resist them.
And if all else fails, serve them with ketchup! (Just kidding!)
More tips:
- Coat vegetables in your favorite vinaigrette or sprinkle on a flavored vinegar before baking. I like tarragon vinegar, but apple cider vinegar or lemon juice are good, too.
- To more evenly coat your vegetables, place vegetables in a bowl and then drizzle on dressing, or herbs and oil. Mix well with your hands.
- Almost any vegetable works: Onions, peppers, garlic, squash, zucchini, turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery, fennel, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, kohlrabi, mushrooms, okra (leave them whole so they don't get gummy), pumpkin, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, radishes… you're only limited by your imagination.
- Bitter or pungent vegetables such as radishes or turnips become sweet and mild when roasted.
- Make sure vegetables are roughly the same size so they cook at the same time.
- Leave peels on vegetables for added nutrition.
- Mash vegetables after roasting (add a bit of skim milk or fat-free broth to thin) for a jazzed-up, flavor-packed substitute for mashed potatoes.
Find more recipes for roasted vegetables here.
Have a recipe for roasted vegetables? Share it below?
Photo of acorn squash taken by me
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Comments
So if you have someone who cannot eat raw veggies, I bet their digestive system won't balk at the roasted ones!! - 8/3/2012 3:16:38 PM
- make a roasted veggie pizza, topped with goat cheese or feta
- toss them with pasta, finishing with a sprinkle of goat cheese/feta or a squirt of lemon juice
- wrap them in a tortilla or spread on a sandwich/pita with lots of hummus (my favourite; especially delicious if the roast mix includes red peppers)
- 7/7/2012 11:01:39 AM
- 4/10/2012 9:54:57 AM
By the way, my family's all-time favorite roasted veggie is fresh spring asparagus, with olive oil and rosemary. I use a spatula to flip and redistribute them after about 15 minutes, and they're too tender to put under the broiler, in my opinion, but they still get nicely browned. It's the only way they all will eat it! - 3/21/2012 11:07:56 AM
Thank you so much for posting! - 8/28/2011 9:12:43 AM
http://www.venaproreviewstruth.com / - 8/2/2011 7:38:41 AM
I generally steam broccoli and cauliflower. I adore tarragon vinegar, so appreciate that suggestion. I can't imagine roasting brussel sprouts; love 'em steamed. Hope you don't mind -- I printed this blog for my daughter, a terrific cook. My grandkids like numerous veggies (my granddaughter, 2, picks peas out of everything just like I do, lol), but my daughter is always looking for new ways to cook. I love carrots but they take so long to cook to a tenderness I can eat. The grands and my son-in-law hate carrots, so I think DD might like to try this technique. I'll have to experiment; I have never tried broiling with my oven. I am a lousy cook and loathe cooking, but this seems manageable for me. Thanks for a terrific blog! - 4/3/2011 10:03:50 PM
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