We are sure you will love this Roast Vegetable Salad – it is one of the best we have tasted. We find the process of cooking the vegetables in a little water initially, takes away the oily taste sometimes associated with roast vegetable salads.

Serve it warm at a summer BBQ or why not try it hot with roast meat in the winter. Alternatively, toss through salad greens for a delicious lunch or light dinner.

For 6 – 8 servings you will need:

About 4 cups of mixed vegetables of your choice adding what you love from this list:

• Sweet potato, bell pepper, onions, shallots, earth gems, yams, pumpkin, summer squash, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, egg plant.
  

Also:

• 5 cloves garlic – peeled
• 1 – 2 Tbsp powered vegetable bullion – we like Rapunzel Organic Vegetable Bouillon
• sprinkle of Tuscan style herbs
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, the best quality you have
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Himalayan Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method

The whole cooking process will take about 50 – 60 mins

Roughly chop all vegetables into large bite size pieces, leaving garlic cloves whole.

Put aside the zucchini and egg plant to add later as they take less time to cook.

Line a roasting dish with non stick cooking paper or use a heavy, non stick roasting dish.

Put all vegetables, excluding the egg plant and zucchini, in the baking dish, sprinkle over vegetable bullion, herbs,  garlic and water.

Season lightly with the salt and pepper.

Bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 – 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and pour over oil and balsamic, adding the soft vegetables at this stage – the zucchini and egg plant.

Give the pan a good shake.

Bake again uncovered until tender, this will take a further 20 – 30 minutes

Serve in a large salad bowl sprinkled with fresh parsley and drizzled with one of our dressings – the Yogurt Dijon is our favorite.

Alternatively, toss through salad greens and enjoy.

DietDitch Tip:

1. To take it up a notch, add toasted pine nuts and crumbled feta before serving for a great meal, serving it with a fresh green salad.
2. If you are using orange sweet potato, add it 15 minutes into the cooking time as it takes less time to cook than other sweet spuds.

Yogurt Dijon Dressing

We make this dressing with yogurt for a delicious fresh taste without the fat. Tastes great with other salads as well.

You will need:

• 1 cup low fat plain yogurt
• 1 clove garlic finely crushed
• juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime
• 1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard.
• 1 tsp maple syrup, or use raw sugar or stevia if you don’t have maple syrup
• salt and pepper to taste
• finely chopped herbs to taste – parsley, basil, mint etc

Method:

Whisk all together with a whisk or fork.

Store in the fridge for about an hour prior to serving.

Keeps well refrigerated for several days.