Lightly Roasted Vegetables - Main Dish

When vegetables are roasted they take on heavenly flavours that need not be associated with extra calories.

By roasting them lightly till they are just tender, they still retain most of their nutritional life and energy.

Winter squashes are particularly appropriate for this type of cooking. They are super foods due to their density of antioxidant nutrients, especially betacarotene and vitamin C, also calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Squashes are alkaline forming foods, so are cleansing for blood and liver.

Serves 4

2 lb butternut squash, skin removed, then diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
2 leeks, diced
4 oz cherry tomatoes
1 large red pepper
1 large yellow pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
a little rapeseed oil

For the garnish

1 tbsp finely grated hard goat’s cheese
1 tsp sieved paprika

1. Preheat oven to 180 C, gas 4.
2. Place prepared vegetables in a large bowl and work a very little oil into them, turning them thoroughly.
3. Place on a baking tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
4. Turn vegetables, sprinkle with goat’s cheese, then cook for approximately
5. 10 minutes longer till cheese topping begins to turn golden brown and vegetables are tender.
6. Garnish with sprinkling of paprika.