Happy New Year sweet friends!!
I don’t know about you, but after the holidays are over I always crave wholesome nutrient dense food! This Lemon Orzo with Roasted Vegetables and Feta, really fits the bill! You start with a big pan of bright and beautiful vegetables. Just look at those vibrant colors…ready to pop in the oven to roast!
It felt so good prepping these vegetables. Just looking at them made me feel healthier! Ha! If only it was that easy. But seriously, one of my goals this year is to really dial in on eating more whole foods and less processed stuff. I have always loved making good home cooked meals, but since my family dynamics have changed (with only my husband and youngest son home now) I have started going out often or using more easy short-cut processed type foods. So this goal is helping me plan better so I am prepared and can make healthy and delicious meals at home more.
Some of my favorite recipes come from Ina Garten, (aka Barefoot Contessa) including this Lemon Orzo with Roasted Vegetables and Feta, and her memoir came out last October. Have you read it? I have it on my list, but seeing it around has put me in the mood to pull out the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks that I have. This recipe comes from her Barefoot Contessa Parties cookbook which I have and LOVE! Have you tried the Crostada? One of my favorite desserts and I was first introduced to it from that cookbook.
Fresh out of the oven and ready to add to the orzo along with some other delicious ingredients. Ina also adds eggplant to this recipe but I prefer zucchini. Make sure you add all the vegetables and juices from the roasting pan to the orzo. YUM
This recipe is fabulous. I like to make it for dinner with some baked salmon or grilled chicken and then use the leftovers for lunch during the week. One of my favorite meal prep recipes. Note that I currently do not have fresh basil on hand this time of year, so I use flat leaf parsley instead. I think that herb is perfect in this dish! You can use either one or both, if you want!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Here is to a healthy and happy New Year!
xoxoxo
Melanie
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Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
Description
This Lemon Orzo with Roasted Vegetables and Feta is the best way to eat the rainbow! The star is the beautiful roasted veggies!
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini, large dice
- 1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
- 1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1–1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 pound orzo
- For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 1/3 cup good olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- To Assemble:
- 4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
- 1/4 cup pignolis (pinenuts), toasted
- 3/4 pound feta, 1/2-inch diced or crumbled
- 15 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade OR half bunch parsley chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Toss the zucchini, bell peppers, and onion with the olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano on a large baking sheet.
Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
For the dressing:
Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic.
Pour on the pasta and vegetables.
Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil or parsley.
Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.
Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties Cookbook
I am glad to hear that I am not the only one that slipped into those habits when the kids grow up and leave home. but you are absolutely right–home cooking is sooo much better for you!! thanks for sharing your experiences! xoxo
That happened to me also when we became empty nesters. I’d always made all homemade meals for my husband and two boys and then all of a sudden I had all this freedom when the kids moved out and could take a break from all that cooking and I got lazy. We went out a lot and I also took short cuts and gained weight ugh. Thankfully I’ve gotten back on track and don’t do that anymore. We go out once in a while but I mostly cook home again, whole foods. We try to save most of our dining out for when we go out with friends. Restaurant food is so unhealthy that we have had to cut back as we get older. This recipe looks great.