by Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, speaker, retreat host, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLCs

This morning, listening to my body, I noticed that I was quite hungry way before my typical lunch time, was prepping for a meeting, and wanted to make something really quick, healthy and delicious.

During the Christmas holidays in Cocoa Beach, I showed my 91-year old Dad how to roast sweet potatoes with a really easy method, and I had a beautiful Romanesco broccoli from one of our local Arizona farmers, Steadfast Farm. Since I knew I was hungry, I decided to also cook a batch of quinoa.

I only have a few photos from today, as I was not intending to blog about this dish. However, the final plating is so beautiful and delicious, I’m sharing today.

2 Veggie Lunch: Romanesco & Sweet Potatoes

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 sweet potatoes
• 1 small Romanesco
• Pinch sea salt or a blend of spices. Today, I used Penzeys Spices Fox Point blend: salt, shallots, chives, garlic, onion, and green pepper corns
• 2-3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp basil olive oil
• 1 cup quinoa

SIMPLE STEPS

Quinoa

• Rinse quinoa in a strainer.
• Pour quinoa into a small pot.
• Add 2 cups liquid, water or veggie stock.
• Cover pot, bring to a boil.
• Simmer for about 15 minutes, with lid tight.
• Sit for about 10 minutes.
• With a fork, fluff around the edges of the quinoa.

Simple Steps to Roast Veggies, Excerpt from “A New View of Healthy Eating”

Sweet & Rich Roasted Roots

Roasted roots are beautiful, flavorful, and sweet, as well as a rich, colorful complement to any meal. The roasting culinary technique is a dry heat cooking method that intensifies and concentrates the flavor of vegetables. When roasted properly, the natural sugars in the vegetables brown or caramelize to create a deep, rich flavor. When visiting your farmers’ market, buy a few roots even if you don’t recognize them, and roast them with this simple, quick culinary technique. Enjoy roasted roots as a side dish, to create soup, with hummus, or in a raw kale salad or veggie wrap.

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

• 10-12 of your favorite roots: carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, golden beets, red beets, and radishes
• Approximately ¼ cup organic extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp dry herbs (Choose a few: basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, or thyme)
• ½ tsp sea salt

SIMPLE STEPS

1. Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees F.
2. Scrub roots under running water to clean the outside.
3. Let sit for about 10 minutes to dry.
4. Slice roots into even, bite-size pieces.
5. Mix olive oil, herbs, and sea salt in a bowl to make the dressing.
6. Add root vegetables to the bowl and toss to evenly coat with the dressing.
7. Carefully lay the roots on parchment paper in a heavy-duty flat baking sheet pan. Place roots flat side down in a single layer, making sure the vegetables do not touch.
8. Place baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
9. Roast roots in the oven for about 20 minutes, then turn vegetables.
10. Cook another 15 minutes, until fork tender.
11. Plate vegetables. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
12. Enjoy!

Have Fun Plating your Veggies and Quinoa

• Spoon quinoa, then sweet potatoes, then Romanesco on the plate.
• Add a few of your favorite extras. Today, I added rough chopped pistachio nuts and capers.
• Drizzle with oil. Today, I drizzled with Hutun Basil Extra Virgin Olive oil.

ACTION: Roast a few veggies, cook a whole grain, plate, and enjoy. Share your creations with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewViewHealthyEating or tag #NewViewHealthyEating

Melanie’s book, “A New View of Healthy Eating” is available to ship to you, or see you at an upcoming event in the Phoenix area.