NNMC Picking Protein: Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken

Roasting a whole chicken is a delicious way to get dinner on the table that is also economical. Plus, you can use leftovers to make new dishes like soup or, in my case, quesadillas. Don't forget to save the carcass to make some homemade stock!

Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken

serves 4-6

Ingredients

4 lb. organic chicken

1 lemon, quartered

6 sprigs each of fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Kitchen twine

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Pat the chicken dry and place on a cutting board used for meats. Remove any organ packets that may be in the cavity. Then, stuff the cavity with lemon wedges and half of the herb sprigs.

3. Mince the remaining herbs and combine in a small bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Rub some of this mixture under the chicken's skin into the breast, leg, and thigh meat.

4. Truss the chicken to maintain a compact shape for even cooking. This video from Alton Brown gives great instructions (it's how I learned). He's using a turkey, but you get the idea.

5. Now, spread the rest of the herb/oil mixture onto the skin of the chicken, rubbing it in and ensuring even coverage.

6. Place chicken in a roasting pan on a wire rack. Distribute you favorite veggies in the bottom of the pan for roasting or add a little water or stock to prevent any drippings from burning and setting off your smoke detector. Cook for 1-1.5 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

7. Allow the chicken to rest for 20 minutes and then slice for serving. Enjoy!

NNMC Increase Produce: Try Roasting

As I've mentioned before, one of my favorite, go-to methods for cooking any vegetable is roasting. It's simple and, once you know the basic recipe, the possibilities are endless. In general, you toss whatever vegetable(s) you've chosen with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other spices or herbs you like. Then you spread them out in one layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 400 °F oven for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cooking time will depend on the vegetable(s) you're using and how big or small you cut the pieces.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Broccoli

Ingredients

1.25 lbs butternut squash, 1-inch cubes

3/4 lb broccoli florets

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Preheat over to 400 °F.

2. Toss squash and broccoli with olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. Spread mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Want to Make Vegetables Delectable? Try Roasting!

I must admit, I'm a veggie lover. My mom even says that, as a child, while everyone else at a birthday party headed for the cake, I would make a beeline for the vegetable tray. As I grew, I began to realize that not everyone had the same adoration for  broccoli florets and celery sticks as I did. However, there is one preparation method that can make veggies a little easier to eat, even delicious, for those who don't share my passion for produce: roasting.

Just about any vegetable can be roasted with mouth-watering results. Bell peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, summer squash, winter squash, potatoes, brussels sprouts, and beets are just a few of the many possibilities. No matter what vegetable or mix of vegetables you choose, the result will be sweet, caramelized gems. To roast vegetables, you simply cut up whatever veggies you're using and toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other herbs or spices you might like. You can even add a little fresh squeezed lemon juice. Lay them out on a baking sheet in a single layer and pop them in the oven. Softer vegetables will cook more quickly while harder ones will take a little longer. For best results, make sure not to over-crowd the baking sheet. If the vegetables are not in a single layer, they will steam rather than roast. Steaming means not a ton of flavor and that's exactly what we don't want. Whether a planned dish or a way to use up leftover produce in the fridge, roasting will take your vegetables to another level and may even make a vegetable lover out of you.

Roasted Vegetable Medley with Brown Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients

2-3 lbs of mixed of vegetables for roasting such a zucchini, cherry tomatoes, onions, green bell peppers, eggplant, and potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or enough to lightly coat veggies

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Pepper to taste

2/3-1 cup cooked brown rice

Meat/protein of your choice

Any condiments or sauces you like (soy sauce, hot sauce, etc.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add any other herbs or spices you might like at this point as well.

3. Spread vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet. Don't hesitate to use more than one sheet if necessary. Cook vegetables in oven for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Serve vegetables with rice and your meat or protein of choice. Salmon, chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, and beans are all great options. Sometimes, I just have the veggies and rice by themselves.

Feel free to change up the grain as well. Wheat berries, bulgur, quinoa, or even whole grain pasta would work beautifully. Think of this as a general outline and be creative or just use what you have on hand. There are no rules here. Happy roasting!