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If you have a sheet pan, what sort of dinner can you make? Quite a wide variety of meals, it turns out! That’s especially true if you have a wealth of veggies to use up before they go bad. These easy yet healthy recipes bring out the delicious flavor of veggies cooked under high heat – most will present an entirely different flavor profile than what you’re used to from sautéed or fresh.
The colors you put on your plate matter, too. According to Rush University System for Health, look for these vegetable colors to keep you healthier:1
· Red veggies and fruits bring vitamin C, vitamin A, antioxidants, and potassium. Look to red beans or tomatoes, and finish up your meal with strawberries.
· Yellow or orange fruits have plenty of the same vitamins and minerals but bring the added bonus of better eye health and an immune system boost. These can include carrots and squash. When reaching for fruits, look to peaches and pineapples.
· White veggies include mushrooms and onions, both of which help control cholesterol levels and maintain a healthy heart. Bananas are in this category too.
· Green veggies pack a huge punch of goodness for the body – the darker the veggies are, the more antioxidants and fiber they contain. They’re also great to help with blood clotting, good vision, and strong bones. Go for kale, Brussels sprouts, and zucchini.
· Blue or purple veggies and fruits improve memory and preserve urinary tract health. Look for eggplant to roast, and grapes/raisins or cranberries as a healthy snack.
Getting enough veggies in the diet can be pretty tough, especially if you don’t like the flavors of raw or sautéed vegetables. That’s where sheet pans come in! When you roast veggies over high heat, they release their sugars and become caramelized, which gives them an entirely different flavor profile.
A good example is Brussels sprouts. Many people don’t like this coniferous veggie when it is prepared in certain ways, such as sautéed with butter, but roast the Brussels sprouts and it’s a whole other story. Even those who hate them might gobble up the roasted version and ask for more.
Besides that, roasting on a sheet pan is a very easy way to put a healthy dinner on the table in very little time and with minimal effort. Remember, however, that you are working with a very hot oven and equally hot pans, so wearing a medical alert necklace is always an excellent idea as help is literally at your fingertips. Press the button and get the help you need right away from the friendly, trained professionals at the 24/7 monitoring center.
With your peace of mind firmly in place, let’s get started with some easy recipes!
Cauliflower Nachos
Are you craving nachos but worry about too much fat, cholesterol, and calories? Cauliflower might seem like an unusual replacement for meat, but spice it up just right and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. This makes enough for a crowd if you use the full head of cauliflower, but this recipe is scaled down into two generous servings for a quiet night at home with the one you love.
· 2 cups cauliflower florets
· 1 tbsp. olive oil
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· ½ tsp. cumin
· ¼ tsp. chili powder
· ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
· Two handfuls tortilla chips
· ½ 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
· 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
· 1 small tomato, diced
· 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a backing sheet with parchment paper.
Place the cauliflower florets, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and paprika in a bowl; toss to combine, making sure the cauliflower is coated in the olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and mix in the black beans, and cheese. (Remember to use half the can of beans and save the rest for another meal.) Place back in the oven on a layer of tortilla chips and bake until the cheese melts.
Remove from the oven and scatter tomatoes and cilantro leaves on top. You can also serve with guacamole, sour cream, onion, jalapeno slices, and anything else you love on nachos.
Classic Roasted Veggie Plate
This veggie plate is full of ingredients that burst into full flavor as their sugars caramelize in the oven’s heat. The addition of chickpeas for protein makes this a little more heart-healthy and certainly more fun, especially if you’ve never enjoyed the crunch of roasted chickpeas. They’ll become your go-to snack!
· ½ red onion, diced
· ½ butternut squash, peeled and diced
· 6 oz. baby Brussels sprouts, each cut in half
· 6 oz. chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 tbsp. stone-ground mustard
· 1 tbsp. tahini
· ½ tbsp. apple cider vinegar
· 1 tbsp. olive oil
· Sprinkle of pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss it all together until the veggies are well-coated. Transfer the veggies to the sheet pan. Roast for about 30 minutes or until tender. Pull the veggies out of the oven every 10 minutes during cooking to toss and turn them so no piece gets too browned.
Remove from oven and serve immediately.
A note about safety with this recipe: butternut squash can be very difficult to cut and you run the risk of getting injured by a sharp knife that might slip. Though a button alarm can help at moments like this, knowing how to avoid injury in the first place is always the best option!
To avoid injury, cook the squash in the microwave for a few minutes to soften the flesh enough to cut it easily, or purchase butternut squash cubes – you can find them in the chilled produce section or in the freezers of your local grocery store.
Easy Classic Fajitas
Why spend time over a hot griddle when you can create these classic fajitas with the help of your oven? These come with a twist: Instead of using bits of steak or chicken for these fajitas, this recipe includes hearty mushrooms. According to WebMD, these low-calorie protein bites might help reduce your risk of certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.2
· 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
· 1 red onion, cut into strips
· 2 Portobello mushroom caps, cut into strips
· 1 tsp. chili powder
· 1 tsp. cumin
· ½ tsp. garlic powder
· ½ tsp. onion powder
· Drizzle of olive oil
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together very well, until the veggies are coated and the spices are evenly distributed. Bake for 20 minutes or so until roasted to your liking.
Serve with tortillas, avocado slices, cheese of your choice, and fresh limes.
Barbecued Tofu
This amazingly easy recipe puts tofu center stage. These tasty barbecue bites pair well with whatever veggies you have in the fridge, so feel free to line the edges of the sheet pan with them while the tofu roasts.
If you haven’t tried tofu before, now is the time! The Cleveland Clinic reminds us that tofu is free of cholesterol, filled with protein, and loaded with calcium, iron, manganese, and fiber. It’s part of a heart-healthy diet that lowers your risk of cancer.3
· 8 ounces extra firm tofu
· 2 tsp. cornstarch
· 2 tbsps. brown sugar
· 1 tsp. smoked paprika
· ½ tsp. chili powder
· ½ tsp. garlic powder
· 1 tsp. olive oil
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Press the liquid of out the tofu. You can do this by wrapping it with a clean kitchen towel and placing a heavy pan on top of it for 15 minutes. The towel should absorb a good bit of liquid from the tofu. When it’s mostly dry, cut into bite-size cubes.
Mix the cornstarch, brown sugar, and spices together in a bowl. Add the tofu and toss very gently, taking care not to break the cubes. Transfer to the baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil on top.
Bake for 30 minutes. The tofu should be lightly browned and crispy on the edges. Serve immediately alongside the veggies and sides of your choice.
Italian Delight
This hearty sheet pan meal looks to Italy for inspiration. Roasted gnocchi brings a unique flavor to the table that complements that of the roasted veggies and makes for a satisfying meal.
This makes generous servings, so you will likely have leftovers – these can be heated up in the microwave and might actually be better the next day! Don’t you love it when that happens?
· ½ red onion, sliced into strips
· 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
· 2 cloves garlic, left whole
· About 2 cups zucchini, sliced very thin
· 10 cherry tomatoes
· 8 ounces gnocchi (should be fresh or shelf-stable, not frozen)
· Drizzle of olive oil
· 3-4 basil leaves, cut into thin strips
· 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add all ingredients except basil and parmesan to a large bowl. Toss thoroughly, making sure all ingredients are blended. Break apart any gnocchi that might stick together. Transfer to the baking sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender and browned. Mash the garlic cloves and blend the roasted garlic gently with the rest of the veggies. Top with basil and cheese to serve.
Stay Safe in the Kitchen
Senior alert systems from Alert1 can help ensure that you have a relaxed and enjoyable time in the kitchen. Peace of mind makes a very nice side dish to go along with the great meals you’re preparing! Enjoy!
