Easy. Essential. Satisfying.  All you need is a piece of parchment paper, a sheet pan and a 350-400 degree oven. Sheet pan vegetables require none of monitoring or effort of a stir fry and take about five minutes to prepare.  This no-fuss method also eliminates the cleanup–just place your used parchment paper in the compost container and reshelve your pan. Turn the oven on as you walk in the door from work, and by the time you change your clothes, the temperature should be just about right for roasting.

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Method:
Slice or rough chop your vegetables, about a handful of each, and place them in a bowl .

Add several teaspoons of olive oil and mix lightly then spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan.

You can salt at this point or do to taste when the pan comes out of the oven.  Cut the vegetables in a fairly uniform size so that they cook evenly, and don’t over pile–it will make them soggy.  Take a risk and try something new! Roasted fennel is delicious and raw bulbs are available in a 2-pack at Trader Joe’s. Fennel is pictured above along with red onion and broccoli stems.  Just slice the fennel bulb horizontally into 1/4 to 1/2 inch rings, and remove the coarse middle section from the bottom rounds.

When Adding Kale:
Since greens will cook a little faster than most vegetables, I usually get a head start by roasting the other vegetables first without the kale.

After about 15 minutes, pull the pan out and add your chopped kale and continue cooking until the desired crispness is achieved, about another 15 minutes if roasting at 350 degrees. Toss your kale in a bit of olive oil before you add to the pan, just as you did to the vegetables.

Versatility:
These roasted vegetables can be served alone hot out of the oven, or mixed in with greens or your main dish.  They can be puréed for soup or snacked upon on while your prepare the rest of your dinner. I work from home so I do a pan every day while making lunch and leave out on the counter to nibble throughout the afternoon. With tasty olive oil and a healthy dose of Maldon, or your favorite salt, lovers of chips or crackers won’t feel like they are missing out on much.

For company, roast a pan or two and, after cooling, set them on top of lightly-dressed hearty greens (here, PCC Emerald City Kale Salad). This way you can have your vegetables and salad all in one dish that can double as a centerpiece, since its served at room temperature. No individual plating, and guests can help themselves to their choice of vegetables.