Farmer’s Markets may be in their final weeks, but the produce section of grocery stores is bursting with all sort of autumn vegetables. Time to take advantage of root veggies, artichokes and other seasonal eats. Done right, this season of comfort food and cozy eats can also include a heaping bowl full of beautiful roasted veggies alongside that mac and cheese.
We’ve got a lot of opinionated vegetable eaters over here at my house. Some kiddos love cauliflower, some kiddos loathe it. Artichokes are the worst thing for one kid, and the most exciting thing on the dinner table for another. To keep mealtime waste at a minimum, I roast several veggies options in the DeLonghi Convection Toaster Oven. It sits on the countertop like any standard toaster oven, but makes it easy to roast smaller batches of autumn vegetables, without tying up on the oven with my side dishes. Because it’s a convection oven, recipes cook more quickly in here than in the standard oven. Plus, the stainless steel and modern lines make this one toaster oven I’m happy to keep on the counter.
Any toaster oven cooking requires a proper set of smaller baking pans. And the Nordic Ware Compact Bakeware is designed to be the perfect size. I love tossing a few different veggies – carrots, acorn squash, Brussel sprouts, artichokes, turnips and parsnips (just to name a few!) – drizzling with olive oil and a touch of seasoning, then roasting several pans. The smaller serving sizes work nicely for our mixed-palate family. And are ideal for meal prepping a variety of veggies without breaking a sweat.
On the dinner menu this week, a few classic autumn vegetable favorites. We hit the health food store, and I let each of kids select a favorite vegetable. With carrots, artichokes and acorn squash in tow, we headed home and prepped each on a compact plate, roasted in the convection oven and enjoyed a meal full of the best fall flavors.
Of course, these 3 options are just a start. Really any autumn veggie stands up nicely to roasting. Simply clean and peel or slice. Remove any seeds. Then arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil (olive, coconut or ghee) and season with garlic, salt, pepper. Then roast until tender. Most veggies take just 12-20 minutes in a convection oven, and 25-30 minutes in a standard oven.
If you like artichokes, this a beautiful twist on the traditional steamed preparation. Sliced in half and drizzled with olive oil or ghee, roasted with garlic and lemon and topped with parmesan, pull the leaves from the roasted artichokes and serve dipped in aioli. Absolutely delicious.
Lemon Parmesan Baby Artichokes
INGREDIENTS
12 baby artichokes
1 tbsp garlic puree
4 Tbsp olive oil or melted ghee
1 lemon, sliced
¼ cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven (or toaster/convection oven) to 425°F.
Slice artichokes in half, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Whisk garlic and olive oil or ghee together. Drizzle over the artichokes. Arrange lemons around the pan.
Roast for 12-18 minutes (or for 8-10 minutes in convection oven), or until artichokes turn tender. Sprinkle with parmesan, salt and pepper before serving.
Honey Dijon Roasted Carrots
INGREDIENTS
1 pound bunch carrots, cleaned and tops removed
1 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup honey
3 Tbsp whole grain dijon
Chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven (or toaster/convection oven) to 425°F.
Spread carrots on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Mix together olive oil, honey and dijon. Drizzle over carrots.
Roast for 20-25 minutes (or for 12-18 minutes in convection oven), or until tender. Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley and enjoy!
Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
INGREDIENTS
1 acorn squash, seeded and sliced
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pomegranate seeds (for garnish)
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven (or toaster/convection oven) to 425°F.
Place squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with coconut oil and maple. Salt and pepper to taste.
Roast for 20-25 minutes (or for 12-18 minutes in convection oven) until squash is easily pierced with a fork. Garnish with pomegranate arils and enjoy.
Tried one of these recipes? Or whipped up some roasted veggies of your own? We’d love to see! Tag us on Instagram @theinspiredhome_com #INSPIREDhome
