Overweight since childhood,I spent most of my 30's tipping the scales around 250lbs. At age 41 I took charge of feeding myself by preparing all of my own meals, no more fast foods! I created a way to use my love of cooking, food, and eating to permanently lose over 100lbs. During this time I discovered kettlebells and my own style of training The Kettlebell Swing, bringing out my inner athlete and erasing all signs of former lifelong obesity. It's never too late, YOU CAN DO IT!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Last Nights Mix
Last night while I was making dinner, I roasted shitake mushroom, kabocha squash, carrot and yellow onion. I'll use them in a salad today, or tomorrow, with spinach, romaine, or baby greens....or all of the above, lol! Gotta have somegreen stuff!
I have been roasting every veggie I can get my hand on. I absolutely LOVE IT!!! I think I love the way they carmelize and get all sugary. My favorites are cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. Next up I am going to roast some green beans. MMMMMMMM
Just wanted to say thanks - I've been reading for quite a while and I thoroughly enjoy your recipes! you have given me many inspirations and I love experimenting with your recipes and customizing them. So THANK YOU for the time & effort you put into posting these. I know sometimes you feel like you're putting in the effort for nothing, but I'm still cooking and swinging! *lol*
Green beans are one of the few veggies I rarely buy out of season (in fact I only buy them in the winter for Thanksgiving dinner)....maybe because I had a friend that let me pick green beans out of her garden straight off of the vine, and boy oh boy! you can eat them right there, raw! But....
I may be inspired by your suggestion, and this is how I would serve them....
Roasted with shitake mushrooms, sliced the same width as the beans and tossed with in olive oil and salt for 10 minutes, turn, 10 minutes more and then tossed in a vinaigrette made with
Sorry for taking so long to get back to your comment....
The great thing about roasting veggies is that the only seasonings you absolutely need is salt. Oil is the fat that provides the "lubricant". Any other seasonings you use are a "bonus". Here are my top 3...
Red pepper flakes ( adds heat!)
Curry powder (also adds heat, but curry is a strong spice and you have to like it!)
Lemon....(sometimes you need a little "acid" to balance the oil and salt), great on asparagus.
But oil and salt, that's it....pepper is good, but remember, pepper is a spice too!
Now for roasting times.
The more "dense" a veggie is then the longer it needs to be roasted, but most veggies, no matter what their density can be cut in a way to promote even cooking times.
For instance, root veggies, winter squashes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, etc. Of all of the above, carrots are the most dense and need to be cut a little smaller than the rest to cook in the same amount of time.
Greens....brussels, (Kori B mentions) green beans, asparagus, cabbages (cabbages are big brussels, lol!) depend on how big they are, or how small you dice, or slice them.
Other veggies like cauliflower, red bell pepper or any peppers, onions (sahllots), garlic, broccoli, mushrooms etc., can all be exciting combinations, but I would probably suggest roasting one type of veggie at a time. Once you get comfortable with a favorite then you can start to combine them....it's addicting!
A few things to remember.
When you add oil, at least 2 tbls to a full roasting sheet, that adds 200 calories! But "fats", I don't believe, are an enemy, necessarily.....it's not WHAT you eat, but HOW MUCH you eat!
"Roasting" is a "winter time" cooking method. Can you imagine turning your oven up to 400 degrees on a hot July afternoon? Summertime is for "grilling".
The difference between " roasting" and "grilling", both are "dry heat" methods of cooking, and both require a hot pan, or hot grill top to start. Put your roasting pans in the oven to pre-heat while you're cutting your veggies....the same as you would start your grill, get it hot and then place food on top of the hot grill.
The best way to learn is to "do"! Look up some other roasting recipes to find the "common theme",and for for it! don't be afraid, don't be intimadated....it's just cooking!
Tracy,
ReplyDeleteI have been roasting every veggie I can get my hand on. I absolutely LOVE IT!!! I think I love the way they carmelize and get all sugary. My favorites are cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. Next up I am going to roast some green beans. MMMMMMMM
Tracy,
ReplyDeleteI would like to try this. How long do you roast the veggies? I'm assuming you also add some seasonings? Thanks for any info.
Hi Tracy,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say thanks - I've been reading for quite a while and I thoroughly enjoy your recipes! you have given me many inspirations and I love experimenting with your recipes and customizing them. So THANK YOU for the time & effort you put into posting these. I know sometimes you feel like you're putting in the effort for nothing, but I'm still cooking and swinging! *lol*
Kori,
ReplyDeleteGreen beans are one of the few veggies I rarely buy out of season (in fact I only buy them in the winter for Thanksgiving dinner)....maybe because I had a friend that let me pick green beans out of her garden straight off of the vine, and boy oh boy! you can eat them right there, raw! But....
I may be inspired by your suggestion, and this is how I would serve them....
Roasted with shitake mushrooms, sliced the same width as the beans and tossed with in olive oil and salt for 10 minutes, turn, 10 minutes more and then tossed in a vinaigrette made with
diced shallot (1-2)
sherry vinegar (2 tbl)
mustard (1 tsp...dijon of course)
sugar (1 tsp...or less maybe 1/2)
olive oil
S&P
Good Lord, you can even make this into a potato salad....if you ate potatoes, lol!
PS Sherry vinegar is a great combination with mushrooms.
ajam00,
ReplyDeleteSorry for taking so long to get back to your comment....
The great thing about roasting veggies is that the only seasonings you absolutely need is salt. Oil is the fat that provides the "lubricant". Any other seasonings you use are a "bonus". Here are my top 3...
Red pepper flakes ( adds heat!)
Curry powder (also adds heat, but curry is a strong spice and you have to like it!)
Lemon....(sometimes you need a little "acid" to balance the oil and salt), great on asparagus.
But oil and salt, that's it....pepper is good, but remember, pepper is a spice too!
Now for roasting times.
The more "dense" a veggie is then the longer it needs to be roasted, but most veggies, no matter what their density can be cut in a way to promote even cooking times.
For instance, root veggies, winter squashes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, etc. Of all of the above, carrots are the most dense and need to be cut a little smaller than the rest to cook in the same amount of time.
Greens....brussels, (Kori B mentions) green beans, asparagus, cabbages (cabbages are big brussels, lol!) depend on how big they are, or how small you dice, or slice them.
Other veggies like cauliflower, red bell pepper or any peppers, onions (sahllots), garlic, broccoli, mushrooms etc., can all be exciting combinations, but I would probably suggest roasting one type of veggie at a time. Once you get comfortable with a favorite then you can start to combine them....it's addicting!
A few things to remember.
When you add oil, at least 2 tbls to a full roasting sheet, that adds 200 calories! But "fats", I don't believe, are an enemy, necessarily.....it's not WHAT you eat, but HOW MUCH you eat!
"Roasting" is a "winter time" cooking method. Can you imagine turning your oven up to 400 degrees on a hot July afternoon? Summertime is for "grilling".
The difference between "
roasting" and "grilling", both are "dry heat" methods of cooking, and both require a hot pan, or hot grill top to start. Put your roasting pans in the oven to pre-heat while you're cutting your veggies....the same as you would start your grill, get it hot and then place food on top of the hot grill.
The best way to learn is to "do"! Look up some other roasting recipes to find the "common theme",and for for it! don't be afraid, don't be intimadated....it's just cooking!
neca.....cooking and swinging.....is there anything more important?
ReplyDeleteOK, maybe a grandaughter! I love my girl!
Thanks for taking the time to validate my efforts.