FEASTS AND FOTOS

  • Home
  • About
  • Happenings
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Archives for vegetable

Roasted Vegetable Soup

January 12, 2015 by Susan

RoastedVegetableSoupR

Most soups I make are prepared using the same method; sauteing onions, garlic and veggies in a pot on the stove and then adding stock and simmering away.  This soup turns that method upside down!  I loved the concept and it sounded so easy.  Naturally, I thought, could it actually be good?

Oh yeah!  So good.  I am already a huge fan of oven roasting vegetables to eat as a side dish. Favorites are broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.  I feel roasting the vegetables really brings out their flavor, so much more than, let’s say, steaming.

The other element that I love about this soup is that it includes eggplant. Eggplant!  I haven’t come across many soup recipes with eggplant in them, have you?  To be honest, you would be hard pressed to detect the eggplant in here.  All the flavors of the vegetables blend well and are so delicious.  Even the sage, it’s there in the background, not overpowering at all.  The sage I used to make this particular pot of soup came from my garden, still going strong in December!  It is a hearty herb, that sage.

I am happy to report that this soup recipe is quite forgiving.  I think if you stick to the base vegetables (eggplant, carrots, potatoes) you can add some others (celery, parsnips) and it would be just as great.  Making this recipe would be a great way to clear out your fridge of any root veggies that might be slightly past their prime.  You can also comfortably make some substitutions. Don’t have shallots?  Add an onion instead.  Want this soup to be vegetarian?  Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Prefer it to be a touch thinner?  Add more stock.  Forgiving is good.

This roasted vegetable soup is very delicious and super comforting on a cold, snowy day (we’ve already had quite a few in the NY area).  It is very thick, so it is filling and perfect on its own for a lunch or light dinner.  And thick enough that my 3-year-old can feed herself this soup, which she loves.

Add a slice of toasted rustic bread to dip and you will be in heaven.

Here’s what you will need to serve 6-8…

Recipe

3-4 tbsp olive oil

1 large eggplant, peeled and chopped into 2 inch cubes

3 carrots, sliced into 1 inch pieces

3 large shallots, quartered

6 cloves garlic, whole

2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks

6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

3 large sage leaves

sea salt & pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Oil the bottom of a large, rimmed sheet pan with 1 tbsp of oil (rub it around with your fingers to coat) and add everything except the sage leaves.  Add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil, salt & pepper and toss to coat.  Arrange in a single layer.

Roast for 45 minutes, flipping vegetables once or twice, ensuring they brown slightly but do not burn.  Remove pan from oven, add sage leaves on top of veggies on one side of the pan, and then pile the remaining veggies on top of the sage leaves.  The heat from the veggies will wilt the sage.  Allow to cool slightly.

In a high powered blender, add vegetables and broth in manageable batches.  Pour into a large pot, heat slightly and serve or store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Recipe adapted from Clean Eating Magazine

 

Roasted Vegetable Soup
 
Print
Author: Feasts And Fotos
Ingredients
  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large eggplant, peeled and chopped into 2 inch cubes
  • 3 carrots, sliced into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 large shallots, quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic, whole
  • 2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chuncks
  • 6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 3 large sage leaves
  • sea salt & pepper, to taste
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Oil the bottom of a large, rimmed sheet pan with 1 tbsp of oil (rub it around with your fingers to coat) and add everything except the sage leaves. Add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil, salt & pepper and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer.
  3. Roast for 45 minutes, flipping vegetables once or twice, ensuring they brown slightly but do not burn. Remove pan from oven, add sage leaves on top of veggies on one side of the pan, and then pile the remaining veggies on top of the sage leaves. The heat from the veggies will wilt the sage. Allow to cool slightly.
  4. In a high powered blender, add vegetables and broth in manageable batches. Pour into a large pot, heat slightly and serve or store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
3.2.2802

Filed Under: Soup Tagged With: carrots, comfort food, dinner, eggplant, healthy, lunch, potatoes, roasted, sage, soup, vegetable

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Cilantro Dressing

November 3, 2014 by Susan

RoastedCauliflowerR

Whenever I  make vegetables as a side dish, 98% of the time I will roast them.  I think roasting brings out a wonderful, deep flavor of the vegetables and they get all crisp and caramelized on the outside. And, truthfully, roasting vegetables is so easy!  Just season and pop in the oven.  You only need to flip them once during the cooking time and voila, they are done.  My favorite vegetables to roast are cauliflower, broccoli and carrots.

This recipe is actually two recipes in one.  The first part, simply roasting the cauliflower with just salt, pepper and oil, is my basic recipe for making roasted vegetables and is practically effortless.  The cauliflower is delicious just like that. But every once in a while it is nice to have something a bit different, so I created this dressing to toss with the cauliflower after they have been roasted.  It comes together very quickly and can be prepared just after you toss the cauliflower in the oven.

Now we are having a hard time figuring out which preparation is our favorite.  If I told you we snacked on these during the day once would you believe me?  It’s true!  We actually snacked on cauliflower, as strange as that sounds.  The vinaigrette is such a terrific complement to the cauliflower and the addition of that cumin just makes it.  It almost lends an Indian spin to the recipe.

I love it when food that is healthy for us is also delicious. Cauliflower is filled with phytonutrients that fight disease and fiber that really helps to keep you full longer.  I end up feeling good about eating it, and there is no guilt over eating a lot of it.

Here’s what you will need to serve 2-3 as a side dish…

Recipe

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets of various sizes, washed and pat dried

2 Tbsp olive oil

Sea Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Vinaigrette

1/2 lemon, zested

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 small clove garlic, grated

1/8 tsp (scant) of ground cumin

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Turn the cauliflower upside down and start cutting into all the stalks and leaves until they are all removed.  Cut cauliflower into florets.  Wash and pat dry.  Lay on a large rimmed baking sheet and add 2 Tbsp olive oil, sea salt and pepper.  Mix well with your hands until the cauliflower is coated.

Roast in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes depending on how large your florets are and how soft you like your vegetables cooked.  I prefer mine more firm (as opposed to my husband who likes his softer), so I leave 1/2 the florets large so they don’t get overcooked.  Half way through the cooking time take the baking sheet out of the oven and turn each cauliflower floret over.  I find using a pair of tongs works the best.  Put back in the oven.

While the cauliflower is cooking get started on the vinaigrette.  To a small bowl add the lemon zest, juice, cilantro, grated garlic, cumin and 3 Tbsp of olive oil.  Whisk well until completely mixed.

Once done, remove  the cauliflower from the oven and transfer them directly into a large bowl.  Add the vinaigrette, one tablespoon at a time, to the cooked cauliflower, mixing to combine.  I usually end up using all the vinaigrette, but if you see they are getting soaked in the liquid, stop adding and taste.  This will all depend upon how large your cauliflower is. In the end, I don’t soak the vegetables, just give them a nice coating.

 

Roasted Cauliflower
 
Print
Author: Feasts And Fotos
Ingredients
  • 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets of various sizes, washed and pat dried
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Sea Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • Vinaigrette
  • ½ lemon, zested
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small clove garlic, grated
Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Turn the cauliflower upside down and start cutting into all the stalks and leaves until they are all removed.  Cut cauliflower into florets.  Wash and pat dry.  Lay on a large rimmed baking sheet and add 2 Tbsp olive oil, sea salt and pepper.  Mix well with your hands until the cauliflower is coated.
  3. Roast in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes depending on how large your florets are and how soft you like your vegetables cooked.  I prefer mine more firm (as opposed to my husband who likes his softer), so I leave ½ the florets large so they don't get overcooked.  Half way through the cooking time take baking sheet out of the oven and turn each cauliflower floret over.  I find using a pair of tongs works the best.  Put back in the oven.
  4. While the cauliflower is cooking get started on the vinaigrette.  To a small bowl add the lemon zest, juice, cilantro, grated garlic and 3 Tbsp of olive oil.  Whisk well until completely mixed.
  5. Once done, remove  the cauliflower from the oven and transfer them directly into a large bowl.  Add the vinaigrette, one tablespoon at a time, to the cooked cauliflower, mixing to combine.  I usually end up using all the vinaigrette, but if you see they are getting soaked in the liquid, stop adding and taste.  This will all depend upon how large your cauliflower is. In the end, I don't soak the vegetables, just give them a nice coating.
3.2.2802

Filed Under: Sides and Sauces, Vegetables Tagged With: cauliflower, cilantro, comfort food, cumin, healthy, lemon, roasted, side dish, vegetable, vegetarian

Hello and welcome to Feasts and Fotos!

Archives

Categories

Copyright © 2025 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress