Like every night of the week, you find yourself in front of your refrigerator wondering what you could possibly prepare? Good news: an easy-to-make, tasty and balanced dish will save you invaluable time in the kitchen. Here is the recipe, validated by our dietician-nutritionist.
Express oven cooking… putting vegetables in the spotlight
Vegetables are essential allies for our health: they are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, nutrients essential for the proper functioning of our body. However, in reality, they are often the first to be forgotten.
“In the evening, after a busy day, we lack time, ideas, energy to prepare everything. We find ourselves preparing starchy foods, a source of protein… and the vegetables go by the wayside”, says the expert.
How to rectify the situation? According to the expert, it would be enough to bet… on baked vegetables which represent “an almost magical solution“They require very little preparation, they cook while you do something else and are concentrated in flavor. “Cooking in the oven allows a slight natural caramelization of the sugars present in the vegetables, which makes them softer, more delicious, sometimes even appreciated by those who think they “don’t like vegetables””, says the dietician.
In addition, this cooking requires little fat, while allowing a good diffusion of aromas thanks to the herbs, spices and garlic used. “On a nutritional level, this cooking preserves nutrients well, especially if you avoid overcooking the vegetables”, admits the specialist.
A dish that adapts to the contents of your refrigerator
Another major advantage of this oven dish: flexibility. Don’t have any carrots today? Nothing serious, they can easily be replaced with squash, leeks or beets. “You can adapt the recipe depending on what vegetables are in season and what you have in the fridge.“, confirms Julie Boët. “This is also a strategy that I very often recommend in dietary monitoring: starting from a simple and modular base, rather than looking for a completely different recipe every week.”
In winter, we focus on root vegetables and cabbages. In spring, we add asparagus and peas. In summer, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers become delicious thanks to their caramelization. And in the fall, squash and red onions become tender.
“Roasted vegetables are also perfect for batch cooking. You can deliberately prepare a large quantity of them and reuse them the following days. They slip into an omelette, a quiche, a wrap, a bowl, a mixed sauce to accompany pasta, or even a soup simply by mixing them with a little broth”, advises the nutritionist.
They will keep for several days in the refrigerator and freeze very well. So, having a box of ready-to-use roasted vegetables would completely change the way you organize your meals!
The last tips from the expert? If you’re really pressed for time, “frozen vegetables are a great alternative”. You can pour them directly onto a baking sheet, add a drizzle of olive oil and spices, and put them in the oven.
The dietitian’s recipe: roasted seasonal vegetables and spicy chicken thighs
To adopt the expert’s recipe now, follow these few instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 200°C;
- In a salad bowl, mix around 1 kg of seasonal vegetables cut into pieces: carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, pumpkin quarters (with the skin if they are organic and well washed), red onions and a few cloves of garlic. You can also add cauliflower florets or Brussels sprouts cut in half;
- Drizzle everything with one to two tablespoons of olive oil, salt moderately, pepper, then add thyme, rosemary or a mixture of spices such as smoked paprika or mild curry;
- Mix the vegetables well with your hands to coat them;
- Spread them on the baking sheet covered with baking paper and arrange 4 chicken thighs covered with spices;
- Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, mixing the vegetables well halfway through cooking;
- The chicken should be nicely browned and the vegetables tender and slightly caramelized. It’s ready!
“This dish provides quality proteins thanks to the chicken, fiber and antioxidants thanks to the diversity of vegetables, as well as a moderate glycemic load. To complete the meal, you can also add if necessary a small portion of whole grains such as quinoa or semi-whole rice, sweet potatoes on the hob, or simply a piece of sourdough bread”, advises the dietician. Something to enjoy in all simplicity!