Roasted Veggies... Two Different Recipes to Try

After going Keto, I really began to notice how much I enjoy roasted vegetables of various kinds.  We especially enjoy these two recipes, one for Brussels Sprouts and one for Broccoli.  Take your pick, but there really is no wrong choice here.  You will be equally as pleased with each.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan:

Ingredients:
8 oz. bacon, chopped into small pieces
2 lbs fresh Brussels Sprouts, (it is important that they are fresh, not frozen for this recipe)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cook the bacon in a pot over medium high heat.  Add the Brussels Sprouts and garlic, tossing until they are coated with the bacon drippings.

Spread the Brussels Sprouts and bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 minutes, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Broccoli "Chips":

Ingredients:
2 heads of fresh broccoli, cut into small florets ( Again, very important that you are using fresh broccoli, not frozen, for this recipe)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli florets and garlic with olive oil and lemon juice until all are coated.  Sprinkle the sea salt and pepper and toss to coat.

In a single layer, arrange the florets on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the florets are just beginning to brown.

Sprinkle on the grated Parmesan and bake for another 5 minutes.

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Broccoli "Chips"

Tilapia with Lemon Garlic and Capers with Roasted Bacon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Dinner tonight was nothing short of divine.  These two recipes partnered up as the perfect duo.

Tilapia with Lemon Garlic and Capers

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets or other thin white fish fillets (4 small fillets)

Dash of salt and pepper

Juice of 3/4 lemon (about 2-3 tablespoons)

1 tbsp. capers, drained

1 tsp. lemon zest

Directions:

1.)  Warm the olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. 

2.)  Add the fish fillets to the pan and season them with a little of the salt and pepper. Cook them for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the bottoms start to brown. 

3.)  Flip the fillets, pour the lemon juice over them, and season the second side with salt and pepper. 

4.)  Top the fish with the capers. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. When the fish is white throughout and flakes easily, remove it to a plate and serve. 

5.)  Top the fish with fresh lemon zest and spoon lemon juice and caper mixture from the skillet over the top. 

Roasted Bacon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

8 oz. bacon, chopped

2 lbs. fresh Brussels sprouts

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.)  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.   

2.)  Cook the bacon in a pot over medium high heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts and toss until they are coated with the bacon drippings.   

3.)  Spread the Brussels sprouts onto a prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 10 more minutes.

Tomato Basil and Parmesan Soup

Soups are probably my favorite thing to make.  I think that comes from how fun it is to combine ingredients that you have leftover and see what fabulous result comes of it.  Also, my love of leftovers plays a role and this recipe made enough for dinner and 3 days worth of lunch.  Even better, my recipe uses Greek yogurt rather than heavy cream.  Excellent!

Tomato Basil and Parmesan Soup

Ingredients:
2 28-oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup basil, chopped, loosely packed
2 tsp of oregano
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp. flour
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
1.)  Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a large pot. Add the chopped onion and allow to cook until tender, about three to four minutes. Add in chopped garlic and cook for an additional two minutes. Pour in the two cans of tomatoes (juice and all) and the vegetable stock. Stir in the basil, oregano, sugar, and salt and pepper. Place the lid back onto the pot and allow to simmer ten minutes.

2.)  At the end, combine the flour and the yogurt in a small bowl. The flour helps the
yogurt not clump when it gets warm. Stir in the Greek yogurt mixture and Parmesan cheese until well blended. Garnish with chopped basil and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

3.) Optional- I tossed some stale jalapeno cheddar bread in olive oil in a skillet and allowed it to crisp up.  Perfect croutons.

An Edamame Obsession

One of my favorite snacks is edamame and earlier last year I ran across a recipe in a magazine for roasting it.  I altered the recipe slightly to fit our specific tastes, but the result was nothing short of addictive.  This recipe was also featured on the KEOM Community Cookbook and our listeners provided some awesome feedback.

Parmesan Garlic Edamame

Ingredients:
1 package frozen, shelled edamame
1 tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the edamame according to the package instructions. Let the edamame cool until it gives away no steam. Mix the parmesan cheese, garlic powder, saltand pepper in a bowl. In a separate bowl, toss the edamame with olive oil. Add the parmesan mixture to the edamame and toss until evenly coated. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is crispy.