30-Minute Bright and Zingy Mediterranean Vegetables

These tart and tangy roasted vegetables start in your oven and end on a Greek island. They’re an effortless plant-based side dish, perfect for any meal and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. The lemon juice and olive oil make it fruity and light, while the black pepper and fresh dill round out the flavor palate with full earth tones. I’ve used carrots and cauliflower here, but feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables and adjust the cooking time as needed. (Photo source: Ruby Lyon)

Yield: Serves 2-4 | Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets

About 3 cups of carrots, sliced into sticks

4 cloves of garlic, chopped roughly

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 large lemon

3 tablespoons fresh dill, rinsed and torn

Chipotle lime seasoning to taste, about 2 teaspoons

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Line a baking sheet with foil.

In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with half of the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer to the baking sheet, spreading the florets out as much as possible.

In the same bowl, toss the carrot sticks with the remaining lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chipotle lime seasoning (generic chipotle-lime, Tajin, or even a little cayenne pepper will work. Feel free to get creative with this one!).

Evenly distribute the chopped dill over the carrot sticks and toss to coat. Transfer to the baking sheet with the cauliflower, or bake on a separate sheet as needed.

Bake for about 20 minutes, turning once. The vegetables should be somewhat soft when pierced with a fork and the edges of the cauliflower should be a light golden-brown. The carrots may not change in color, but will roast deliciously!

Garnish with more lemon juice or dill as desired. Enjoy!

Zero-Waste Tip

Save the ends of your carrots and your cauliflower stalks in the freezer. They can be made into vegetable stock later, or chopped up and added to a compost bin.