Let’s face it-eating healthy can be hard. Cooking up fresh veggies and flavoring them just right takes way more time than tossing some chicken nuggets in the microwave, and that’s not counting the time it takes to think up new recipes to replace taco night from the local fast food place. But it doesn’t have to be hard, and the extra effort you put in will be worth it when you’re eating a delicious meal with your loved ones. To make it a little easier to eat healthy, Williamson Forward will be sharing some healthy meals in collaboration with Kristin Brewer, Marketing and Nutrition Manager for the Williamson Farmers Market. This month, Kristin has shared a recipe for delicious grilled vegetables with an Argentinian chimichurri sauce.
Delicious Garlic and Herb Flavor
“This easy chimichurri sauce adds loads of garlic and herb flavor to smoky grilled vegetables,” Kristin says. “Choose any assortment of vegetables you love, season with olive oil, salt, and pepper, grill, then add spoonfuls of the sauce for a side dish that can be served at any temperature.” You’ll want to prepare the sauce before grilling your vegetables. Below is the recipe for a delicious chimichurri sauce!
Ingredients:
1 Cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley (stems removed)
¼ cup fresh cilantro (stems removed)
¼ fresh oregano (stems removed)
⅓ cup roughly chopped red onion or shallots
3 cloves of peeled garlic
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Throw parsley, oregano, cilantro, onion, and garlic in a food processor or blender, and pulse to mince. Add the red pepper flakes, olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice and pulse 2-3 times to mix. Season with kosher salt. If you don’t have a blender or a food processor, finely mince all ingredients with a sharp knife, then whisk together with oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. You can also add all (finely minced) ingredients to a jar with a lid and shake to mix your ingredients. This can be made up to 3 days beforehand, and stored in the refrigerator!
To keep the grilled veggies simple, Kristin shared a recipe for them as well.
Ingredients:
2 Portabella Mushrooms
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red onion
1 bunch thick asparagus
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Cut your mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, asparagus, and bell pepper to size. Drizzle in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon on as much sauce as you want, and dig in!
This is a great healthy recipe for anyone looking to bring more plants into their diet. Between the hearty helpings of vitamins and minerals offered by the eggplant, zucchini, and other veggies, and the protein and fiber offered by the mushrooms, this is a delicious way to add a healthy dish to your next cookout.