Ready to taste the rainbow?! This traybake recipe contains all the colours of the rainbow, which means it’s rich in a variety of antioxidants and adds up to your 5-a-day too!
I LOVE traybake recipes because they’re simple to make, need little preparation, and allow you to effortlessly mix and match your favourite foods to keep things varied for winter meals!
Vegetable tray-bakes make an ideal side dish, or they can be blended into soups, added to a curry or turned into a warm salad or burrito bowl with salad and a source of protein!
These roasted veggies are a great option if you want to meal prep on the weekend for the week ahead, saving you time and money. They re-heat well & taste delicious cold too.
The more colours you can include in your diet, the better when it comes to obtaining a variety of vitamins & minerals. Each colour contains a unique set of phytonutrients (plant chemicals) to support your health!
🍅 Red – Lycopene gives veggies their red colour and is known to have antioxidant properties to support health.
🥕 Orange and yellow – Orange & yellow vegetables are high in carotenoids, including beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body, which helps to produce red blood cells as well as keeping our eyes healthy.
🥦 Green – Two of the main carotenoids in broccoli, lutein and zeaxanthin are associated with reducing the progression of age-related macular degeneration and eye disorders.
🍆 Blue and purple – Include antioxidants called anthocyanins, which are associated with protecting cells from free radical damage and may give anti-inflammatory benefits.
🧅 White – Contains anthoxanthins, which research suggests may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
As an added bonus, this side dish also contains lots of fibre! Fibre is an extremely important nutrient as it helps to keep our digestive system healthy in addition to contributing to healthy cholesterol levels and promoting healthy gut bacteria. In comparison to more refined carbohydrates, sources of fibre are digested more slowly which helps us to feel full and reduce constipation (alongside keeping well hydrated!). There is evidence to show that diets rich in fibre may help to reduce the risk of colon cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease too.
𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 👩🏻🍳
✔️ 10 broccoli flowers
✔️ 2 cups sweet potatoes
✔️ 2 purple carrots
✔️ 2 yellow carrots
✔️ 2 parsnips
✔️ 1/2 red onion
𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠
✔️ 1 tbsp olive oil
✔️ 3 cloves garlic, minced
✔️ Juice of 1 lemon
✔️ Black pepper to taste
✔️ Salt to taste
✔️ 2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 Tbsp dried
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐃 🥣
1️⃣ Preheat your oven to 180°C & prepare your veg (peel & chop!), before adding them into a medium-sized roasting tin with baking paper.
2️⃣ Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl & stir to combine.
3️⃣ Pour the dressing over the veg & toss to coat well.
4️⃣ Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the veggies & potatoes are fully cooked and served!
Let me know what you include with yours in the comments below or on Instagram @nicsnutrition!