Baby, it’s cold outside! It is definitely January here in the northeast! I just want to stay inside and turn on the oven! Any little bit of extra heat helps! However, as much as I would love to be baking cookies and cakes and pies, I’m trying to stay with the “healthy” theme for the new year, and increase the vitamins and anti-oxidants in my diet, Less flour, sugar, and butter, and more fruits and vegetables! So, I decided to roast several different vegetables together. Since I can’t grill them, which is my favorite way, I chose to roast them. Roasting brings out the sweetness and flavor of the vegetable – they slowly carmelize and get slightly crispy, tasting much better than steaming or microwaving. If you are not a big vegetable fan, you should try roasting them for a rich and sweeter flavor! I used asparagus, grape tomatoes, red onions, and cauliflower for this batch. They are so colorful together!

This recipe requires no measuring or mixing. It is super easy! Just cut up some of your favorite vegetables, coat with oil and seasonings and put in the oven. Easy and nutritious! You can’t beat that! They are a perfect side for roasted chicken or a beef or pork roast. Another idea is to mix them with pasta, or toss on your salad. And if you have any leftovers, you can toss them into the food processor with chicken broth and have roasted vegetable soup! That’s what I did with my leftovers.

One thing about the seasoning I would like to share  – I have discovered “Himalayan Salt”. This was found at my favorite local olive oil and vinegar store http://www.oliveoiletc.com/.

What is Himalayan Salt and isn’t salt somewhat bad for you?? Certainly too much salt or sodium can be bad for you, especially if you have high  blood pressure or a condition that requires you to be on a low sodium diet. Himalayan salt is actually lower in sodium than regular salt. It is pink in color (from the iron oxide) and loaded with extra minerals! It is all natural and mined in the salt mines of Pakistan near the Himalayan mountains.  It is high in additional minerals such as sulphate, magnesium, calcium, and potassium, just to mention a few. Regular table salt is stripped of these minerals. If you would like to know more about it, here is a link with the additional information and benefits –

http://fitlife.tv/10-amazing-benefits-of-pink-himalayan-salt/

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”  Colossians 4:6

Not only should we be aware of the nutrients we are putting in our bodies, but also the words that we speak. I like that this verse says “seasoned with salt” – salt is a flavor enhancer, so we should “enhance” our conversations with grace and compassion. Kind words are received much easier than unkind words, which can create bitterness and hurtfulness. As we work on getting healthy with our food choices, we can start to get healthy spiritually with the conversations we are having with others, using our words to build each up and encourage one another.

Grace and peace,

Lori

Roasted Vegetables

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut up your favorite vegetables –  ex: carrots, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, asparagus, peppers, eggplant, etc.

Lightly coat with olive oil and place on a baking sheet or baking dish (my dish was stoneware so it was non-stick, but you could line your pan with foil for easy cleanup).

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and seasonings of your choice – parsley, basil, marjoram, or rosemary, for example.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, halfway through, turn them over with a spatula and roast for an additional 25-30 minutes,  or until tender.

Enjoy!