Veggie-Palooza

When I started my part-time vegetarian gig I discovered how easy it was to prep a supply of roasted veggies that I could dip into over the course of a few days. I spent some time this weekend pumping out the stuff you see pictured here. It's a beautiful thing because it gives me no-brainer options for lunch, a snack, or main course. And since it can be served cold or at room temp it ups the convenience factor significantly - on a scale of 1-10, "it goes to 11" (for you Spinal Tap fans).

Here was my shopping list:*

3 medium-sized zucchini

6 small yellow squash (or 3-4 larger ones)

3 medium-sized eggplant

2 sweet red peppers

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

*Note: The volume of veggies you want to roast is completely up to you and should depend how much you think you can consume before it starts looking like a science experiment.

Turn the oven to broil and position the rack in the middle. Slice up the zukes and squash length-wise into flat pieces about 4-5 inches long and a 1/4 inch thick. Slice the eggplant into rounds, about a 1/2 inch thick, and the peppers into strips. If your oven is big enough to accommodate two broiler pans side by side, go for it. Otherwise one at a time works just fine, too. Using a brush, coat the bottom of each pan with a thin coat of olive oil. Lay the veggie slices in one layer in each pan and broil for approximately 5-7 minutes. Pull the pans out, turn the veggies over and broil for another 5-7 minutes depending on how charred you like them.

Stack some of these on a plate with fresh mozzarella cheese then drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar for some carb-free goodness. Try adding slices of tomato or swapping out the mozzarella for slices of provolone and stuffing the whole thing into a sandwich configuration with a toasted ciabatta roll, a pita, or a wrap with some lettuce.