Veggies 101: Roasted Broccoli

I've had a thing for roasted veggies since I can remember. Something about roasting vegetables takes their flavor up a notch- more than just steaming- and I absolutely prefer most vegetables roasted (there are obviously exceptions here). Being completely honest here, one of my favorite snacks is a big plate of roasted broccoli. It's filling, nutritious and SUPER low in calories. I literally eat the stuff like candy, but without feeling regretful and guilty after like candy would.

It took me a while to figure out the roasting thing, and I've found two mistakes that I made that always led to mediocre roasted veggies. The first was over oiling my vegetables. Adding too much oil never leads to the perfect crispness, it always results in somewhat soggy but burnt tasting veggies. YUCK. The second was lining the pan with foil, unnecessarily. There are some cases where lining your pan with foil is necessary, but most of the time with roasting veggies, it's not necessary. Using foil doesn't allow the veggies to use the pans direct heat to crisp them up, resulting in soggy veggies.

OK- now I am off my soap box. Today I am here to show you how to prep and cook roasted broccoli- my favorite snack and side dish.

Lately I have been buying the  4 lb bag of broccoli florets from Costco. I have found it's cheaper since now a days I hardly ever use the stalks, since I am mostly just roasting the florets. Start with a pound of broccoli florets. This is a good amount for a small side dish to serve about 3-4 people.

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. You have to do this first or else the seasonings won't stick as well. The tough thing about broccoli is it takes a big more oil than other veggies do, because the flowers soak up the liquid quickly. To avoid having to use too much oil, add the oil one tablespoon at a take, making  sure to toss the broccoli after each tablespoon. Once the broccoli is lightly coated, toss the broccoli with the rest of the seasonings: 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and a 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic. If I am feeling zesty, I will sometimes add in a splash of lemon juice (YUM).

Give it a good toss and throw it onto a sheet pan.

Put it in an oven at 425, for 15-20 minutes. I like my broccoli crispy, so I always do 20, but it will be cooked and still delicious around 15 minutes. Another trick is to open the oven and give the pan a good shake every 7 or so minutes. I do it twice while it's cooking. This prevents the veggies from sticking to the pan and burning.

Serve warm and enjoy!

I definitely ate this bowl of delicious-ness after I finished taking pictures. Don't judge.





Roasted Broccoli
The Everyday Veggies

1 pound broccoli florets
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2-1 Tablespoon minced garlic
squeeze fresh lemon juice- delicious, but optional

Preheat the oven to 425

In a large bowl, drizzle the olive oil over the broccoli, tossing the broccoli after each tablespoon is added. This ensures an even coating of oil on the broccoli. Add the salt, pepper, garlic and lemon juice if using. Toss until spices are evenly coated and pour broccoli onto a half sheet pan. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, checking every 7 minutes to give the pan a shake.

Serve warm as a side dish.

Claire