Roasted ONE-DISH Meals

Move-over Crockpot and Slow Cookers...ONE-DISH Meals Got a Make-over

There's another tool in your kitchen that can help provide a healthy, tasty complete meal with less clean-up and the amazing taste known throughout Latin and European cuisine for centuries – Roasted Vegetables... mine is with a bit of a different "twist"...of course I had to "doctor" it.

If you, like many of my clients, are running in many different directions in this fast-paced life or you're just beginning to do more cooking and you're not sure where to start, I offer examples below.

My recipes are created and tested in my Institute kitchen in our new Health Sciences facility in Cotacachi, Ecuador, S.A. Our commitment to you for Health thru Education™ continues to bring you the best natural health recipes while insuring they're packed with nutrition, the ability to assist overall detoxification and Wholistic Rejuvenation, and DO NOT induce inflammation.

INGREDIENTS
Optional Protein

• Ground organic—bison, turkey, chicken, salmon or use whole salmon steaks or other white wild-caught fish filets.
• 1–3 tsps. Coconut oil for browning meat, and olive oil for fish.
• Himalayan Pink Sea Salt & Pepper to taste.

Optional Herb & Spice Flavor Combinations—Combine and crush or chop finely

• Greek—2 tsp. each dried oregano, basil, lemon-pepper, garlic powder (about 2 cloves if using fresh garlic)—great when combined with a little Tzatziki.
• Moroccan—Mix together 1 TB. packed golden Lakanto (monk fruit) natural sweetener, 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice seasoning mixture, 1/2 tsp. orange zest, 1/4 tsp. white pepper. Optional: 1 TB. Zaatar spice blend.
• Mexican—Mix together 1 TB. each dried cilantro, cumin, garlic and 1/4 tsp. white pepper for that "bite" without adding an inflammation-inducing nightshade.
• Mustard-Thyme—Mix together 1 TB. yellow prepared mustard, 1 TB. honey, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, about 1/4 tsp. black pepper.

Optional Vegetable Combinations

• Sweet potatoes (whitish/pale yellow or orange yam-type, purple Hawaiian potatoes)
• Parsnips
• Butternut or acorn squash (any squash, cut into smaller cubes like zucchini)
• Carrots
• Beets (sliced)
• Brussels sprouts (cut in quarters for best baking)
• Cauliflower florets (cut in small 1" pieces)
• Whole garlic cloves
• Wedges of red or yellow onion
• Celery (cut into 1" pieces)
• Yucca (peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces)
• Bok choy
• Fennel

Additional Flavor-enhancers

• Tangerine/white balsamic vinegar (toss before cooking)
• Plain balsamic dark vinegar (toss before cooking)
• Basil or Avocado pesto (toss before cooking)
• Tzatziki (toss after cooking)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven (I use a large toaster oven to prevent heating the kitchen, especially during the summer) to 425 degrees F. Line a 15 x 10-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix desired oil, herb & spice blend, cut vegetables, and additional flavor-enhancers in a large bowl, mix thoroughly.
3. Arrange vegetable blend onto baking sheet.
4. Top evenly with desired fish protein or arrange vegetable around previously browned meat in the center of the pan.
5. Roast 30 to 45 minutes or until meat registers 145 degrees F and vegetables are tender (chicken pieces take up to 45 minutes or until 165 degrees F). STIR about every 10 minutes to be sure baking is even. NOTE: If using fish, dip in spice/oil mixture but add at about the last 15 minutes of cooking.
6. Cover with foil; let stand 3 minutes. Slice meat if not using ground variety. Serve with vegetables and, if desired, a topper. Option: You can lightly saute meat beforehand then add to the vegetables and this cuts baking time in half. Remember to not overcook protein but vegetables need to be al dente, which is why it's a good idea to saute meat before baking.

Ingredient Health Benefits
In this recipe article, I deviated from my usual list of health benefits because the variations are too great. That said, you can go back to the archives in TotalHealth for many of the ingredient health benefits in previous recipes.

Enjoy...not only the taste but in reaping the Wholistic Rejuvenation health benefits to help you age without looking or feeling your age.

roasted vegetables