This bowl of roasted vegetables is a hearty vegetarian meal made with Moroccan spices, whole grain freekah and a squeeze of lemon.
This position was created in partnership with Wolf. All opinions are ours.
how often do you cook Not long ago, Alex and I were the people who answered: “Never!” – unless, of course, pouring milk over cereal counts as cooking! If your answer is Never Besides, you’re in good company. That’s according to a recent survey conducted by Wolf as part of the Reclaim the Kitchen initiative 50% of 18-34 year olds would rather scroll social media than cook. And 40% of adults do not cook because they are too tired every day, even if they have time.
One of the secrets we learned in our quest to cook is this it’s really just a series of simple techniques. Once you know some of the basics, you’ll be repeating them in any future recipes you make. For today’s Roasted Vegetable Bowl recipe, we wanted to go back to basics and talk about one of our favorite simple techniques: roasting vegetables.
The restoration of the kitchen is above all provide practical tips, tricks and techniques to empower people to cook more. It’s something Alex and I are passionate about, over the past 8 years we’ve spent time reclaiming our own kitchen (listen to our story here). Ready to get started with this bowl of roasted vegetables?
Why roast vegetables?
Why roast veggies for this veggie bowl? Couldn’t you believe them? A few reasons:
- Roasting brings out a surprising inner, caramelized goodness in the veggies. Questionable raw vegetables (e.g. cauliflower) become something otherworldly when fried.
- Roasting makes your home smell amazing.
- Frying is a cozy cooking technique: no matter what the outside temperature!
Roasted vegetables are ideal as an accompaniment to the main course. Even better, you can turn them into an entree as a vegetable bowl with rice, quinoa, or another whole grain. Veggie cereal bowls like these are super easy, customizable, and great for lunch or dinner. Leftovers keep well for meals a few days later. Although neither Alex nor I grew up eating this type of food, it’s now one of our favorites because it’s flexible, flavorful, and easy to make.
How to Roast Vegetables: The Basics
Here are the basics of roasting vegetables in 5 easy steps! You can use these tips to make this vegetable bowl or any other way to serve vegetables.
- Preheat your oven to 450F. Cooking over very high heat will tenderize the vegetables on the inside and slightly charred on the outside.
- Cut the vegetables into small pieces, then toss with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle with some spices if you like. We often add minced garlic to most of our roasted vegetables for optimal flavor.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a silicone mat) to help minimize post-fry messes. Put the vegetables on the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the type of vegetables and the size of the pieces (test for tenderness with a fork). Once the baking sheet is lined, there is no need to stir as the veggies won’t stick to the pan. Take the pan out of the oven and let it cool down a bit; So enjoy!
How to make this vegetable bowl
This bowl of roasted veggies features our all-time favorite roasted veggies: cauliflower, sweet potato, and red onion, tossed with Moroccan spices. We couldn’t resist using purple cauliflower from our local farmers market; it was too good not to buy!
For the grain, we have chosen a unique grain: the Freekeh. It’s a whole grain, similar to wheatberries and bulgur, that has a quick cook time and a distinct nutty flavor. You can use any other whole grain of your choice: quinoa, brown rice, farro, etc. A simple lemon Greek yogurt sauce provides a fresh and bright counterpoint to the caramel flavor and roasted vegetables. Or, for a vegan option, use our Best Lemon Tahini Sauce. Topped with parsley and chopped almonds, it’s a comforting and comforting fall dish.
Whether you try this vegetable bowl or your own recipe, we hope this recipe inspires you to get back in the kitchen and start roasting!
Continue reading: Try using homemade labneh instead of Greek yogurt in this recipe!
To learn more about Reclaim the Kitchen, visit ReclaimTheKitchen.com. The above statistics are part of a State of Cooking in America study conducted by Wolf.
did you make this recipe
If you make our recipe for a bowl of roasted fall greens and a lemon drizzle, we’d love to know how it turned out. Leave a comment below or share a photo on Instagram, mention @acouplecooks and tag #ReclaimtheKitchen.
Looking for healthier bowls?
Aside from that vegetable bowl, here are some of our favorite healthy bowl meal recipes:
This Roasted Vegetable Bowl recipe is…
Vegetarian. For vegans, plant-based and dairy-free, use our Best Lemon Tahini Sauce. For gluten-free, use quinoa, rice, or millet.
The description
This bowl of roasted vegetables is a hearty vegetarian meal made with Moroccan spices, whole grain freekah and a squeeze of lemon.
For the fried vegetables
- 1 Medium head cauliflower
- 1 Red onion
- 1 1/2 pound yams (2 at 3 Middle)
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For freekeh
For the lemon yoghurt and garnish* (use lemon tahini sauce for vegans)
- 7 ounces Greek yogurt (approx. 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice and zest of half a lemon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chopped almonds (toasted and salted, if desired)
- 2 tablespoons parsley, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Fry the vegetables: Halve the cauliflower, then divide into florets. Peel and slice the onion into ½ to 3/4 inch thick slices. Cut the sweet potato into small cubes, about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch. Chop the garlic. Place all the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, cumin, coriander, allspice, cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then pour the vegetables onto the baking sheet. Roast until tender and lightly browned, about 35 minutes (no stirring required).
- Meanwhile, prepare the freekeh: In a saucepan, add 3 ¾ cups of water and the kosher salt and bring to a boil. Add freekah and bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 20 minutes. Cover and let steam 5 minutes before serving.
- Prepare the Lemon Yogurt: Combine the Greek yogurt with lemon juice, lemon zest, ¼ cup water, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Serve the cereal bowl: Roughly chop the almonds and parsley. To serve, place the freekah and vegetables in a bowl and garnish with the yogurt sauce, almonds, and parsley.
- Category: main course
- Method: Cooked
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Vegetable Bowl Cereal Bowl Roasted Vegetables Vegetarian Gluten Free Healthy Dinner Freekah
