I am not a natural chef. I am a binder-making, recipe-following “maker of good foods”– but definitely not a chef. I whole heartedly admire Stephanie’s ability to step into any kitchen and make a masterpiece. When Steph and Kristin start talking about throwing together a hash or developing a fantastic smoothie on the fly, I get nervous. I usually fall back on combinations that I know will work well- and skip adventure for the most part… but I’m learning! In the 5 years I’ve been feeding my family real foods, I have grown a lot in my kitchen adventures. I am an avid baker and am still learning all the nuances of grain free baking. I am growing a garden and am beginning to understand how to use more veggies and experiment with new combinations.
This roasted vegetable recipe makes experimenting so easy. You really can’t mess this up. If you’re like me, and the whole “make-it-up-as-you-go” attitude just feels like a potential disaster, I challenge you to try it. Here’s why… roasting your vegetables in bacon grease makes them so incredibly good that you really will want to try everything this way. I started out slowly– roasting a pan of broccoli, then cauliflower, then brussels sprouts– and every single thing was amazing. You don’t have to go through this whole process like I did. Just throw it all on a pan and enjoy. Its a fantastic way to add new veggies into your mix- and its super easy, which is also one of my favorite things.
This isn’t really a recipe, as it is more just a method. Learn how to throw this together and you’ll feel like a chef! When you’re planning your meals for the week, take a look at the vegetables you’re already using and reserve some of the raw cut veggies for this dish. Take all your cut raw veggies and toss them in melted bacon grease. If you don’t keep bacon grease in your fridge, just chop up a few pieces of bacon and throw those on the pan with your vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about an hour at 400.
Here are a few things that I like to include in my mix.
- Sweet Potatoes
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Beets– these are probably my favorite– especially the combo of brussels sprouts and beets– but know that they can turn your whole pan a deep pink!
- Garlic
- Onion- I like red onion the best
So, take a look at the veggies you have available and try out a roasted mix. Roast on a sheet pan at 400 degrees for about an hour. Make sure to stir everything around with a spatula every 15 minutes or so or they may begin to stick to the pan.
Try it and let me know your favorite combination!
