Roasted Vegetables with Tomato Charmoula and Quinoa

After months of oppressive, energy-sapping, hot dogbreath-in-your-face heat and humidity, it's an absolute joy to be able to throw open the windows to the outside air or take a walk around the neighborhood. And it's such a surprise; normally, Mississippi doesn't experience fall weather until sometime around...oh...winter. Comfortable, sunny yet cool weather is not something we take for granted around here, so when it comes for an all too brief visit, you're more likely to find me puttering around the garden or sitting on the porch watching for hummingbirds than standing over a stove.

But we must eat, and with the lows in the 60's, I finally feel like turning on the oven and roasting some vegetables again. Besides, roasted vegetables are perfect for those times when I'd rather be doing something else; I just stick them in the oven while I go back to watering my garden or scouting for hummingbirds, and they cook on their own, without my having to watch over them constantly. I like to add some beans and serve them over a whole grain for a simple all-in-one meal. (See the end of this post for links to more roasted vegetable recipes.)

This time around, I've taken the Moroccan marinade charmoula and substituted crushed tomatoes for the usual olive oil, tossed it with the vegetables, and added some cooked chickpeas near the end of roasting. Normally, a Moroccan-seasoned dish like this would be served with couscous, but instead I used quinoa--a whole grain, and healthier in my opinion than couscous--adding a pinch of saffron and some raisins for a hint of sweetness. Oh my dog! You would have thought I'd invented bread by the reaction of my husband. He couldn't get enough of it and actually mmmmm-ed when he saw the photo below. E was less enthusiastic; she liked the vegetables but thought the "couscous" needed more seasoning (she assumed it was couscous and I didn't tell her because she thinks she hates quinoa). I'll happily throw in more seasonings the next time I make this, which will probably be this weekend, if my husband has his way.



Roasted Vegetables with Tomato Charmoula
(printer-friendly version)

Charmoula:
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon minced ginger root (or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger)
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes (peeling optional)
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup vegetable broth

Combine the charmoula ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Preheat oven to 400F and lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the vegetables in the dish, add the sauce, and toss well to coat. Roast until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chickpeas during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Remove the vegetables from the oven. Bring 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to a boil, and add it to the vegetable pan, stirring and scraping the pan well to incorporate all of the seasonings. Serve immediately over couscous, quinoa, or other whole grain.

Serves 6. Per serving: 124 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (9% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 396mg Sodium; 7g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core / 2 Points.


Quinoa "Couscous"

1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1/8 teaspoon saffron, crushed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons raisins, optional

Rinse the quinoa well. Put it in a medium-sized saucepan along with the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook until all water is absorbed and grain is tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff and serve.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 116 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (12% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 7mg Sodium; 2g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core (without raisins) / 2 Points.

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More roasted vegetables...

...from this blog:

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and White Bean Pesto
Roasted Vegetable Napoleons
Roasted Ratatouille
Roasted Asparagus and Portabella Mushrooms with Horseradish Sauce

...and from other great blogs:

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
Roasted Vegetable Soup
Dijon Roasted Potatoes
Polenta Lasagna with Roasted Vegetables
Roasted Vegetables in a Nest
Citrus Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables