Roasted Italian Vegetables

Roasted veggies are so simple to make, just chop to pieces and toss in the oven or air-fryer. This way it is simple to eat much more vegetables in your diet. I like to flavor mine with Italian spices such as basil, thyme, rosemary and other herbs.

You can get many different flavor profiles by changing the spices. You get some Thai taste if you add garlic, ginger, lime leaves, lemongrass, and chili. Indian by sprinkling some garam masala on top of your veggies or Mexican feeling with taco seasoning.

What vegetables can you use in the Italian Medley of roasted veggies?

NON STARCHY:

• Bell Peppers
• Tomato
• Zucchini
• Eggplant
• Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Onion
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Brussel sprouts
• Green beans

ROOT VEGETABLES:

• Potato
• Sweet potato
• Butternut Squash
• Carrot
• Beets
• Turnip
• Swede
• Celeriac

You can mix both non-starchy veggies and root vegetables. If you add roots like potatoes, sweet potatoes, or carrots, dice them quite small, so they cook evenly with the other veggies. Another option is to roast them first in the oven for 10-15 minutes and then add the rest of the veggies.

Remember that the amount of vegetables in the recipe below fill out a whole oven pan, so extra veggies or roots might not fit in.

Are roasted vegetables healthy?

Roasted vegetables are very healthy if not roasted too dark. They are full of phytonutrients and vitamins. Only vitamin C content reduces by 30 %. Many vitamins retain 95% nutrient content in roasted vegetables.

Nutrition content

The great part of eating vegetables is that you get so much nutrition. It would be much harder to eat all this amount of veggies raw throughout the day, but when you roast them they lose much of their moisture and shrink in size. You notice that the big heap, whole pan of veggies now fit into a small bowl. This small bow is easy to eat in one day, by adding your veggies as a warm element to salad, to your pasta or in a sandwich.

One great thing of roasting your veggies in the oven is that they dont lose that much of their vitamins. If you would boil them, they would lose vitamins in the boiling water.

Total amount of vitamins in the whole amount of roasted vegetables of bell pepper, tomatoes and zucchini:

Percentage of daily need:

• B1-100%
• B2-80%
• B3-100%
• B6-255%
• Magnesium-80%
• Iron-50%
• Potassium-150%
• Vitamin A-230%
• Vitamin E-180%
• Vitamin C-1400%
• Protein-17%

B-vitamins are quite heat resistant. Vitamin C is though very sensitive to heat. All this amount has 1040 mg of vitamin C. Around 60% of it is destroyed in the oven. But if 40 % remains, you would still get 100% of your daily need of vitamin C in one serving. Other vitamins in the list contain 75-95% of their value. If you are interested in a full list of how much vegetables lose vitamins in heating, you can read the list HERE.

Are roasted vegetables high in calories?

Roasted vegetables are low in calories. They have approximately 100 calories in 100 grams if you mix non-starchy and starchy vegetables. Non-starchy oil-free roasted vegetables only have 80 calories in 100grams.

Starchy vegetables are a bit higher in calories but contain only 100-130 calories in 100 grams. If you want to eat a low-calorie, high nutrient lunch, then make a big salad with greens, top it with 200 grams of roasted veggies and some beans or chickpeas for added protein and starch. Calorie info HERE.

Stomach-friendly vegetables for IBS.

This recipe is great for people who suffer from bloating, gassiness and cramps after eating. If you are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, this recipe is Low-FODMAP. It does not have onions. If you are sensitive, leave out also the garlic powder. Even the powder can cause problems for those who are really sensitive.

Vegetables that are good to use in a roasted medley for IBS patients are bell pepper, tomato, eggplant, green beans, celery, carrots, spinach, sweet potato(in moderation), yam, zucchini, and squash.

What to serve with?

Try pasta with roasted veggies and arugula pesto made of walnuts. Or in a pesto pasta salad.

Whole grain root bread Sandwich with Muhammara-red pepper spread, roasted vegetables, and sprouts.

Can you roast your vegetables the day before?

You can roast your vegetables the day before. Reheat them up before serving in the oven at 350F, 175C for 10 minutes, or in an air-fryer at 300F for some minutes. You can also serve them as a cold side dish.

Do you need oil for roasting vegetables?

You don´t need oil for roasting vegetables. If you use some oil, they will be a bit moister and not dry up as much, especially starchy vegetables. The oil will, though, increase the calorie amount.

How long do they last in the fridge?

Roasted veggies can be stored for 3-4 days in a vacuum box for up to a week. They will, though, become a bit soggy in the refrigerator.