My Recipe for Roasted Veggies

Three weeks ago, I decided to join my mom on her two-week grain-free diet to see if it would help my muscle/joint pain. After one week, my body was telling me that I needed a little bit of grains, so I added brown rice and felt much better.  As of today, I'm still 100% gluten-free and I'm truly feeling the benefits of it.  

After eating salads all summer, I decided to put a little more effort into my cuisine since I was ending my love affair with wheat-based products (home-made bread and beer topping the sacrifices).  A good friend of mine recommended roasted vegetables, so I decided to give it a try.  I must say that with the addition of fresh herbs from my garden, a little good balsamic, shaved parmesan and white beans it was delicious....I didn't miss the grains one bit!  Roasted veggies also make a lovely accompaniment to any meat dish, and leftovers can be chopped or pureed for soups.

 ~ Roasted Veggies  ~

(All veggie quantities are rough estimates, you may use more, less or eliminate undesired varieties.)
2-3 long carrots, peeled and chopped on an angle 1/2" thick, or 1 cup baby carrots
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup sliced mushrooms, or whole baby mushrooms
1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends removed, cut diagonally into 3" pieces
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or rough chopped
1/2 sweet onion or red onion thinly sliced and separated1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Fresh herbs to taste (rosemary, chives, thyme), or a sprinkling of dried1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese
Balsamic Vinegar (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
After preparing the veggies, set aside the asparagus, garlic, beans and cheese. Place the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.  Toss to coat. Place on a sheet pan. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes, tossing once while cooking.  Remove the veggies from the oven and add the garlic and asparagus, stirring gently.  Drizzle with more olive oil if needed. Return the vegetables to the oven and roast for another 10 - 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the oven and add the beans then sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and roast for another minute or two until the cheese melts and beans are warm. Serve in a bowl with additional cheese and/or a dash of your favorite balsamic vinegar.  Enjoy!