One of my winter life hacks is to roast up a big batch of vegetables on the weekend to use in different ways throughout the week. Any variety works—-cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, celery root, parsnip, beets….. you name it…simply seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted until tender and caramelized. Once the vegetables are cooked you can use them —-reheated or at room temp—-as a simple size dish or in salads, of course. But that only scratches the surface of the possibilities. Here are a few dishes that incorporate roasted vegetables in ways you might not immediately think of. Once you try them, you’ll see they are totally unforgettable. Enjoy!
Roasted Vegetable Hash and Egg
Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post
I originally came up with this savory hash to use up leftover roasted vegetables from a holiday dinner, and I have been making it ever since. You start by cooking chopped onions until they are browned and crisped around the edges. That makes for a bold flavor base that is used in just about every type of cuisine, so it works no matter which vegetables you have on hand or how they were originally seasoned. Once the onions are done, add your chopped, roasted vegetables to the skillet, cook until they are warmed through, season them simply with salt and pepper, and top with a fried egg, for a satisfying and healthful breakfast, lunch or light dinner.
Quinoa and Roasted Vegetable Bake with Gruyere
Photo by Tom McCorkle and Food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post
This bake is a French-style gratin in essence, but with an unconventional, more healthful twist centered on nutrient-rich quinoa and featuring a mix of roasted vegetables. While its alluring, golden-brown Gruyere topping calls like a siren, overall, it has a modest amount of cheese, and its sauce is made with milk, not cream, so it’s lighter. The deep hue of red quinoa is especially appealing, but the regular light brown variety works all the same, and any mix of roasted vegetables may be used.
Hummus with Cumin Roasted Carrots
Photo by Sreal Boruchin
This recipe takes two everyday ingredients in an extraordinary new direction as a satisfying meal, with cumin-roasted whole, young carrots served atop creamy hummus. While there is nothing like homemade hummus, and it’s so easy to make, feel free to use a good-quality store-bought chickpea-tahini spread to make the dish even easier. And you can sub any roasted vegetable you happen to have.
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