4 Signs of Spring:

 

Crocus Spring Flower

Flowers.

 

Kites Flying

Windy Days.

 

Ski blue sky back lay

Spring Skiing.

 

Tape Measure

Getting Ready for Bathing Suit Season!

 

Chilly rain one day…a wet snow shower the next followed by a surprise shot of warm sun that lasts all of two hours before disappearing into the cold night.

We want food that keeps us warm but minus the insulating properties of winter’s typical hearty fare. Luscious and light; roasted vegetables are your new best friend! They’ll warm you up without, literally, weighing you down.

One of my favorite methods is nothing short of a complete cheat. Ready?

Taco seasoning. Yep, those inexpensive little packets that sit among the cans of refried beans and chopped ortega chilies. Or you can take a few minutes and make your own seasoning mix.

roasted-veggies

Isn’t that cheerful? This batch is coated and ready for roasting. Here’s what you do along with some suggestions to modify. Big benefit! This recipe has a low GI, which means it releases glucose slowly into the bloodstream. It’s sustained energy and an important factor if you’re managing diabetes.

What you need:

  • 3-4 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes or yams cut into 1-inch cubes.
  • 1.5 cups zucchini cut into small chunks.
  • 1 small red onion, cut into small chunks.
  • 1 6 oz package of sliced portobello mushrooms, crimini or plain old brown mushrooms.
  • Several tablespoons olive oil.
  • 3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix. Or click here to make your own.

What you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, zucchini, onion and mushrooms. Toss with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and spread vegetables on baking sheet. Or you can blend the seasoning directly into the olive oil and mix it into the vegetables. You just want all the vegetables to be evenly coated in oil and seasonings.
  3. Bake 40 minutes, shaking or stirring vegetables every 15 minutes until they are tender and roasted.

Suggestions:

  • Immediately after removing the vegetables from the oven they will be very hot. Take advantage of this. Mix them with a bag of uncooked, rinsed baby spinach. The heat from the veggies is plenty to cook the spinach.
  • Try adding pine nuts to the vegetables the last 5-10 minutes of roasting.
  • Tip: Keep the veggies spread on a cooking sheet. If you cook them in a casserole dish they will get steamy. Steamy things are good…just not for roasted vegetables.
  • Eat plain or wrap in a tortilla with a little shredded sharp cheddar and you’re good to go.

Try Taco Seasoning from www.myspicesage.com

Try Taco Fiesta Blend from www.pasospices.com

Recipe Attribution:

Recipe was adapted from Rochester Healthy Living, 2007 from “Holly Clegg’s Trim & Terrific™ Diabetic Cooking”

Photo Attributions:
  • Crocus by Simone Stibbe
  • Kites: Public Doman
  • Spring Skiing: My son’s ski coach! 🙂
  • Tape Measure by: Lite