Roasted Vegetable Salad

Yesterday I shared a simple and delicious sandwich recipe that I recently served for a leisurely night in with friends. After the meal, the general consensus was that the side dish that I paired with the grilled chicken pesto sandwiches was as good, if not better than the main event. As the 'chef' behind this meal, that is what I like to hear!

Roasting is one of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables. By tossing diced veggies (any combination that you like will work... the experimenting is fun!) with some olive oil and a few simple herbs and then popping them in the oven, you get tons of sweet slow roasted flavor for very minimal effort. A win-win.

Typically, I like to roast vegetables and then add them to pasta, quinoa, or other grains to serve as a meatless entree (perfect for lunches) or as a side dish for simply prepared protein. For this meal, I wanted the vegetables to really shine on their own. To roasted zucchini, peppers, and onions, I added raw tomato halves for a little texture, grated Parmesan for that salty flavor, and dressed it simply with vinegar and herbs. It was a simple salad packed with bold flavor that I would make again any time. I'd like to make a big batch next week and pack it up to take to work for lunch!

The only thing that could make this salad even tastier is the addition of some toasted pine nuts. I love how that rich nutty flavor  and crunchy textures pairs with the sweet softness of roasted vegetables. Alex is allergic, so I left them out of the salad this time and it was still delicious without nuts.

Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded, membranes removes, and diced into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 Tbs. Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. white wine vinegar, divided
• 1 tsp. dried Herbes de Provence 
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup yellow tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 Tbs. toasted pine nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add zucchini, pepper, onion, garlic, oil, 1 tsp. vinegar, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Gently stir to combine and then spread out on a large baking sheet.

Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, remove from oven and gently stir. Roast for another 20 minutes, remove from oven, and allow to cool for at least 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the roasted vegetable mixture (with the oil/liquid from the pan), 1 tsp. vinegar, tomatoes, parsley, Parmesan, and pine nuts. Serve immediately at room temperature.