I realized the other night I was avoiding unfamiliar vegetables over my fear of them being mushy and bland. I need texture and I need flavor. Lots and lots of savory flavors.

We are still working on balancing the fact that some want to have meat and making sure everyone is getting what they need. We have all cut way down on our meat consumption. Even my daughter who asked, “When did we turn into Hippies?” has begun eating far less meat and more fruits and vegetables. If I have any meat it is mostly at lunch and a very small amount. We still are eating quite a bit of dairy but I am not worried about that right now. We are working through one thing at a time. Right now it is still supporting my son in wanting to be a vegetarian and increasing the number of fruits and vegetables that I am willing to eat.

I saw a recipe from Pizzarosa from WordPress.com for Tuscan-Style Roasted Summer Vegetables. I knew I wanted to try a version of this because it sounded like something I would really like. I LOVE basil and Italian spices so I set about making a version for my family.

Verdict:

I made two pans of vegetables. As I took the vegetables out of the oven the house smelled like an Italian restaurant. As I was taking the pans out of the oven my daughter was pleased that I made one pan without onions but my son was informing me that he doesn’t care for cooked vegetables. I cannot make meals from raw vegetables so he will live eating cooked veggies.

Once they tasted it they both liked different parts of the dish. Both kids ate two servings and there was enough leftover for a lunch serving the next day.

I served this with a side of green beans and a green side salad.

For a gluten-free version make with gluten-free pasta and gluten-free bread crumbs.

Ingredients:

• 2 small egg plants, thinly sliced
• 2 summer squash, thinly sliced
• 1 quart grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 large onion, sliced into 8ths and separated
• 16 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large red peppers, sliced thinly
• basil, minced garlic, oregano, onion powder
• olive oil, Pick the best olive oil you can. Some olive oils can be bitter or not as flavorful read your labels!
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 TBSP basil, 1 tsp garlic and 1 tsp salt (for topping)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet(s). Drizzle with olive oil and stir well to distribute oil over all the vegetables.
3. Sprinkle with herbs according to taste. I used quite a bit of basil but it is my favorite.
4. Place vegetables in oven for 20 minutes.
5. Remove vegetables from oven and stir well.
6. Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 TBSP basil, 1 tsp garlic and 1 tsp salt together in a bowl.
7. Sprinkle this mixture over the vegetables and return to oven for 20 minutes.
8. Check vegetables. They should be able to be easily pierced with a fork. If not return to oven until desired tenderness is reached.
9. Remove from oven and serve over spaghetti drizzled with olive oil.